The battle for world literacy is too often a story of unsung heroes. That’s one reason the NALD newsletter will bring to you on a regular basis a list of those individuals, programs and organisations honoured with international, national and provincial recognition for outstanding work in the global literacy initiative.

National

Awards for Excellence in Workplace Literacy - 2003 Recipients:
Small Business Initiative: La Ronge Motor Hotel, La Ronge, SK
Medium Business Initiative: J.D. Irving Limited, Saint John, NB
Large Business Initiative: BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc., Yellowknife, NT

Canadian Association for Distance Education (CADE) Awards of Excellence - 2003 Recipients:
Excellence en conception pédagogique: Cegep@distance
Excellence in Instructional Design: Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Excellence in International Collaboration: Writing Effectively for UNHCR, The Commonwealth of Learning
Excellence in Partnerships: Aboriginal Resource Technician Project, Sault College, Contact North, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Excellence en partenariat: L’initiative CESA : Communauté électronique au service des apprentissages, Université de Moncton, Ministère de l’Éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
Excellence en recherche de 2e et 3e cycle: Représentations de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage par des professeurs utilisant des médias interactifs à distance, Julie Boissonneault, Université Laurentienne
Honourary Lifetime Membership: Barbara Spronk

CAMA’s National Award of Excellence for Municipal Workplace Literacy - 2003 Recipients:
Development of Effective and Successful Partnerships: City of St. John’s (NL) and its partners
Organizational Commitment to Workplace Literacy and Education: City of Vancouver (BC), and its partners
Creative Design of Workplace Education Programs: City of Winnipeg (MB) and CUPE Local 500
Recognition of New Workplace Education and Literacy Initiatives: City of Charlottetown (PEI) and its partners

National Adult Literacy Database (NALD) Award for Contributions to Literacy - 2003 Recipient:
Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, (former) Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick

Provincial

Alberta

Calgary Community Adult Learning Association (C-CALA) - Life of Learning Awards - 2003 Recipients:
Adult Learner: Philippe Gagnon, Inside Out Theatre Project
Instructor/Facilitator: Ruth Bieber, Inside Out Theatre Project
Project Program Designer/Director: Marnie Schaetti, Literacy Alberta

Nova Scotia

Literacy Nova Scotia Scholarship Recipients 2003-2004:
Kathy Rector, Human Services Program - NSCC Truro;
Elizabeth Samson, Office Information Technology - NSCC Kingstec

Literacy Nova Scotia Bursary 2003- 2004 Recipients:
Georgina Gratto, ALP - NSCC Pictou;
Marcia Stevens, ALP - Colchester Adult Learning Association;
Deborah Smith, ALP - NSCC Shelburne

Two Alberta literacy organizations have joined together to launch a new provincial literacy organization called Literacy Alberta. On April 1, 2003, the Alberta Association for Adult Literacy (AAAL) and Literacy Coordinators of Alberta (LCA) were officially amalgamated as one unified provincial literacy organization.

“Our members wanted to keep the services provided by both founding organizations, and add new initiatives which neither organization was doing,” comments Marnie Schaetti, a member of Literacy Alberta’s 2-person Executive Leadership Team. “When it came time for votes at the annual general meetings, the members voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining together to create a new organization.”

Candice Jackson, the other member of the Executive Leadership team adds, “Our members want Literacy Alberta to be a strong voice for literacy. They want a higher profile for literacy, and greater influence and support for literacy students and practitioners.”

The new Literacy Alberta board was elected by the first-ever mail-in vote. President Lois Polege says, “It’s exciting to be in at the beginning of an organization whose goal is to create a culture of learning and literacy. Our new logo reflects the vision that literacy soars.”

The Literacy Alberta office has moved to a new address in Calgary, and is staffed by people from the two previous organizations. Literacy Alberta will continue core services such as the literacy coalition, Literacy Help Line of Alberta, professional development, student support, regional literacy resource people, eLit (electronic communication network for literacy people) and provincial literacy conference. New work will be to strengthen regional networks for students and practitioners, and to begin more systematic initiatives to increase the profile and influence of literacy and those involved with literacy.