Adult Literacy Advocates (ALA) is a Capital Area United Way Community Partner that has provided education programs in the Baton Rouge area since 1966. ALA provides a variety of classes to help our students achieve personal, work and family goals by improving their literacy skills. As a community group, we also seek to increase economic development and the overall quality of life in Greater Baton Rouge through helping others further their education to become more productive, qualified workers, neighbors, friends and family who can contribute to our community, state, and nation.
"Now, I’m preparing myself to take the HiSET test. I’ve always felt that I couldn’t do it, but now, enrolling at ALA has helped me so much. I’m thankful to ALA for the help it’s given me. There are still people out there who can’t read or do what I’m able to do now. ALA helps them just like it did me – to look at themselves better than they did in the past and feel hopeful about what the future holds." ALA HiSET Preparation Student “I came to ALA to better my reading ability and to be able to be self-sufficient. Now, instead of just looking at a book, I can read it better. ALA has helped me to see how the world looks through books. I can now comprehend and understand how the world works. If someone wants to come to classes at ALA, I would say, “Take the class! It will help you.”
ALA Senior Scholars Student |
Looking Back...As we begin 2025, and look towards ALA’s 60th anniversary in 2026, I wanted to share the following with you. One of our current tutors contacted me over the holidays, asking to come by the office because there was someone they’d like me to meet. I was surprised to meet a former student, who had worked with this tutor in the mid-1980’s, almost 40 years ago when ALA was known as Operation Upgrade. This pair has remained in contact through the ensuing years, and it was rewarding to hear the story of how our agency and this tutor helped an 18 year-old with reading difficulties improve their reading ability to the point of enrolling in GED classes, then successfully passing the GED test, and beginning a successful 30 year technical career in industry. This former student talked at length about how much his tutor and Operation Upgrade/ALA had helped when they felt there was nowhere else to turn. They emphasized how finding that help, as well as a community of similar learners, gave them the determination to move ahead and succeed. This is only one person’s story, but it represents thousands of students who have come through our doors over the past 58 years - unsure of themselves, frightened and embarrassed to admit that they needed help, and many times having to stop and begin all over again until they succeeded. Thanks to all those people – Supporters, Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff – who have helped to make that difference in those lives.
Thanks for all that so many have done to make 2024 such a success, and here’s hoping that 2025 is a wonderful New Year for you as well as ALA! |
ALA Recognition Ceremony 2024
Our annual Recognition Ceremony was held December 10th at the Main Library on Goodwood. This is the time that recognize the achievements of our students and the dedication of our volunteers over the past year. We also make several special presentations each year. All Star Advocate awards recognize persons or groups who have made a significant and long-term impact on ALA and our mission. Board Member, Volunteer, and Student of the Year awards are presented to those individuals in each category who have shown outstanding progress or commitment during the past year. With their permission, we'd like to recognize those special recipients. Top row: Alice Burke, 2024 Advocate for Literacy; Judy Comeaux, 2024 Advocate for Literacy. Second row: Keith Dunn, 2024 Student of the Year; Kevin Gautreaux, 2024 Volunteer of the Year; Bridgette Hardy, 2024 Board Member of the Year.
(One of our Student of the Year recipients, Zoraya Guzman, was unable to attend and is not pictured.)
(One of our Student of the Year recipients, Zoraya Guzman, was unable to attend and is not pictured.)
Advocates for Literacy 2025
Advocates for Literacy are those benefactors whose significant donations
help ALA to fulfill our mission.
We are grateful for their support and encourage you to support them in return.
help ALA to fulfill our mission.
We are grateful for their support and encourage you to support them in return.
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