Adult Literacy Training Program.
EACH ONE / TEACH ONE
Can there be anything more important than the ability to read? We think not. Living as a literate person is probably second only to having employment, food and shelter. And in order to successfully have those things, one’s ability to read and comprehend what you read is critical.

literacy proposal Download Program PDF

STRUCTURE FOR LITERACY PROGRAM
– Our tutors will do the training at your establishment.
– We will assess the learners who express an interest in the literacy program to determine their skill level.
– Respecting each learner’s privacy, we will determine which learners would prefer one-on-one tutoring sessions and which are okay with group classes.
– Our well-trained tutors will be matched with an adult learner.
– We will ask for a three-month commitment on the part of tutors and learners for each session as the learners progress in skills. The sessions will continue until there is a mutual agreement between the tutor and the adult learner that the learner has reached his or her goal.
– Materials for the classes will be provided – free – by VVAEC.
– Tutors and Learners will be asked to sign an agreement as to their expected conduct and commitment to the literacy program.
– PARTNERSHIPS: We welcome the opportunity to partner with other nonprofits.
– We are recruiting volunteer tutors to work with our adult learners.
– OUR GOAL: We want to help the adult learner achieve their goal. That might be to learn to read so they can then read a bedtime story to their child or grandchild, help a child with homework, learn to read their Bible, understand a recipe or to read a mystery novel. Our goal is to help them achieve their reading goals.
Victor Valley Arts and Education Center is a 501c3 nonprofit. We welcome your contributions to help us fulfill our mission in the arts and providing this literacy program. Our goal is for the program to be free to the adult learner. But training and materials cost money. We welcome both private and corporate contributions through our website or by check.

Victor Valley Arts and Education Center was awarded a $10,000 arts grant in November, 2014 via our affiliation with the High Desert Community Foundation.

The Community Foundation serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties (TCF) received funding from The James Irvine Foundation for projects targeted to an arts-nonprofit. The grant guidelines were for an arts project to embrace and advance the diverse way that we experience the arts by reaching low-income and/or ethnically diverse populations that have been traditionally underserved by nonprofit arts organizations. In addition, the arts engagement project needed to actively engage the targeted communities by having them participate in the project and also put on performances in nontraditional arts venues.

The successful grant that VVAEC wrote was to produce the award-winning two-person play “Love Letters” by A.R. Gurney and to present the play at affordable housing complexes and senior centers. The project was called “Love Letters and Musical Notes.” VVAEC partnered with Paul Starks of “Parade of Pianos” to present a musical component. That “Musical Petting Zoo” provided a display of unique musical instruments that audience members could touch, strum, and beat before and after the theatrical performance.

The productions, held in May 2014, were performed in unique settings: Village Oaks Apartments in Victorville, Victorville Senior Citizens Club, Adelanto Senior Citizens Center, and Hesperia Senior Living. In addition, VVAEC staged a theatrical reading of “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling for the women from “A Better Way Domestic Violence Shelter.” Unfortunately, a Spanish-language production, scheduled for Cinco de Mayo weekend at the Town of Apple Valley Conference Center, had to be cancelled due to casting problems.

These are the populations that are generally underserved in the arts, much as the grant required. In three of the six scheduled performances we were successful in having residents/members perform as the actors in the play.
Love Letters is comprised of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences. Because the actors read the letters aloud, we knew that this was the perfect play for novice actors to perform. So part of our journey included our talented actress/director Stephanie Brynjolfson teach these folks how to act.

“As we build our audience and community support for VVAEC’s mission to advance the arts in the High Desert,” said Davida Siwisa James, VVAEC executive director, “we felt it was important that all residents know that what we are doing is for the entire community. This project is a great way to showcase that.”

www.hdcfoundation.org.

GIVE BIG SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

On May 8, 2014, VVAEC was one of the many nonprofits in the High Desert that took part in Give BIG San Bernardino County, the first Give BIG campaign the county had undertaken. This is a unique online fundraising campaign where all the giving is concentrated in one day. “Give BIG” days are a new fundraising strategy that is spreading across the country where cities, counties and states are encouraging citizens and companies to focus on supporting the good work of nonprofits…all in one day. Of the 265 participants throughout the county, VVAEC came in at #78 in terms of highest donations. Next year, we hope to be in the top 20! Stay tuned for the 2015 Give BIG day! But you certainly don’t need to wait until then to contribute to Victor Valley Arts! Please go to our DONATE page and show your support of the arts.