Lake Washington Institute of Technology Celebrates Adult Literacy Week

Together with Cascadia, Edmonds, Everett, and Shoreline community colleges, Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWIT) is joining students and employers in celebrating Washington’s Adult Literacy Week through Oct. 22.

Part of the five-school celebration includes offering electronic “I support adult literacy” buttons to post on Facebook. The button is available in the profile photos section of LWIT’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/LWITech.

“LWIT is asking the community to join us in observance of Adult Literacy Week,” Mihaela Cosma, coordinator of the Basic Skills Program at LWIT, said in a news release. “Thousands of adults in King County attend Adult Literacy Program courses in order to become better parents, workers and community members. Adult literacy programs in the state’s community and technical colleges play a crucial role in moving people toward personal and economic success by providing at least 90 percent of the adult basic education and 80 percent of the middle-skilled employment training.”

LWIT offers English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education courses in math, reading and writing, as well as GED classes. LWIT’s Workplace Basics program, developed in partnership with local businesses, also helps current employees increase their English proficiency. In 2010, LWIT served more than 1,400 adult education students.

LWIT’s I-BEST (Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training), which was developed by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, helps underserved populations achieve a livable wage. The program pairs technical and basic skills instructors, who work together to teach students the language and the skills they need as students earn credit toward a certificate or degree. LWIT I-BEST programs such as Accounting Assistant, Business Administration Support, General Service Technician, Industrial/Laboratory, and Energy Technology allow adult literacy students to enter their desired educational/career pathways while still progressing through Basic Skills.

One in six adults in Washington state lack the education and training necessary to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. For those adults, adult basic education can open doors to self-sufficiency. Adults with high school diplomas or GEDs earn 24 percent more money over their lifetime than non-graduates, according to state statistics.

For more information about adult education at LWIT, visit www.lwtech.edu or call 425-739-8100.

—From a LWIT news release