Conference for Rural Adult Learning & Literacy
2011 Conference for Rural Adult Learning and Literacy
Sky Ute Casino Ballroom
Ignacio, Colorado (Four Corners region)
Like many in the nation, rural areas in the Four Corners often struggle to cope with and measure up to the agendas set in a state's primary metropolis. With little enough understanding of differences, and a population "majority" that seems to overrule those outside its center, even small cities tend to lose sight of the needs and values at work in the greater countryside. The consequences can be deeper alienation, frustration, and feelings of futility among rural people simply trying to survive.
For such reasons, as one participant observed, the Conference was welcome relief. Because each of us is not alone in the trials, together we can rally a common strength. As trainers and teachers, we can share best practices for rural adult growth; as administrators, we can coordinate professional efforts and help focus public needs; as community allies we can organize economic and social remedies consistent with rural interests, enhance local stability and independence. As advocates for workers and families we can rejuvenate our committment and creativity for empowering others.
Moreover, labor, education, advocacy, and support services can build more effectively together than apart. Officials from the Colorado Department of Education, Utah State University, and leaders from the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council seemed to concur. Shared action for a common population could yield tremendous results for the 21st-century rural West, and education would remain key for not only children but the parents and families who sustain them.
Celebrating Excellence
Center stage for 2011 was one of our own: Anna Mae Rael-Lindsay. As Director of the Learning Resource Center at Trinidad State Junior College (Alamosa Campus), she received one of the College's highest honors in being named the 2010 Administrator/Professional Employee of the Year. Having served multiple terms on the CAEPA (Colorado Adult Education Professional Association) Board of Directors, as well as diverse community agencies in southeast Colorado, she continues her tireless efforts for adult learners and represents the best in rural educational leadership. Congratulations Anna Mae on your well-deserved recognition! (click here to see the College Newsletter and the Alamosa Valley News article)
Well-known too is our esteemed colleague and friend Paulette Church--the 2010 recipient of the Colorado Nonprofit Association's William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities. As Director of the Durango Adult Education Center, she has established adult education as the community cause in Durango and helped make the Center a leading light in the state's public service spectrum. For many of us, she embodies the model of gifted leadership and networking strengths.
Be involved in the ongoing discussions, share your ideas for enhancing our professional network, and join us in the region's first consortium dedicated to rural adults' self-sufficiency and advancement.
Sessions & Workshops
An archive of some of this year's presentations (PowerPoints, etc.) for friends' and colleagues' personal reference.
What Makes "Us" Special? and the Challenge of Revitalization in Rural Colorado
Scott Baker & Cecilia Robbins (Pine River Community Learning Center--Ignacio & Bayfield, CO)
Teaching Comprehension Strategies in ABE and GED Reading and Math Instruction
Charlie Love (Durango Adult Education Center--Durango, CO)
From Fluency to Ontology: English-language Students transitioning into Higher Learning
Luri Owen (Pine River Community Learning Center--Ignacio & Bayfield, CO)
Emerging Literacy Classes--an Untapped Niche Population?
Mike Kirsch (Pine River Community Learning Center--Ignacio & Bayfield, CO)
Learning with Computers: Options for Adults Entering College or the Workplace
Leecy Wise (Unlimited Learning Center--Cortez, CO)
Bring your visions for Colorado's rural learners, workers, parents, and communities. Contact PRCLC for the latest developments and updates.
Get the edge on getting and staying in College. In this open enrollment course, adults seeking higher education learn to be smart consumers and take control of their academic futures. 
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Unlike most states, Colorado provides no funds for adult education or family literacy. Rising dropouts in high school and colleges mean that our work is more urgent than ever.