Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council held its Annual General Meeting May 25-27 in Gander in conjunction with the Atlantic Regional Conference of Laubach Literacy of Canada. Approximately 60 tutors and learners from Newfoundland and Labrador as well as 60 participants from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia attended tutor and learner workshops and sessions.

This was a very busy weekend not only for Newfoundland Laubach volunteers and students but also Laubach volunteers from all regions of Canada. Included in the three day weekend was the Annual General Meeting of Laubach Literacy of Canada as well as a meeting of the Board of Directors of Laubach Literacy of Canada. Provincial presidents from across Canada also met to discuss common issues. The Conference was hosted by the Gander and Area Laubach Literacy Council who are to be commended for a successful conference.

Laubach Literacy of Canada is a non-profit organization with 23 councils operating under the Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council. Trained tutors teach literacy skills to adults using the motto "Each One Teach One".

Workshops for learners and tutors were held on Friday and Saturday. Diane Hunt, national chair of Laubach Training and Certification committee presented workshops to tutors and trainers on "Voyager", a new Laubach program for adult learners. Another workshop of particular interest to tutors was Student Assessments facilitated by Lillian Moores & Olive Reeves of Grand Falls-Windsor. Other workshops which were open to students and tutors included: Media Management by Reg Wright, an award winning Newfoundland journalist; Stress Management by Keith Adey, a psychologist with School District #5 in Grand Falls-Windsor; Public Speaking for All by Don Walsh, Fundraising by Barry Oake; and Successories by Doreen Hillier, Chair of the Gander and Area Laubach Council with assistance from Harold Saunders. The Conference was also fortunate to have the services of Charles Ramsey, NALD Executive Director to lead a workshop on the Internet.

Saturday afternoon round table sessions were held for students, tutor and trainers of Laubach Literacy. These round table sessions chaired by Ed Oldford, Diane Hunt and Isabella Fry provide an opportunity for participants to discuss similar problems, stories and successes.

The National Steering Committee for TREE (Teamwork to Raise Educational Equality) met before and during the conference. This student driven committee hopes to have provincial and local branches of TREE set up by the year 2003. A special ceremony took place at this conference with the planting of a tree on Memorial Drive in Gander

Guest speaker at the closing banquet was the Honourable Sandra Kelly, MP for Gander. She commended those in attendance for the great work being done by Laubach Literacy Councils throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Newfoundland and Labrador's next Annual General Meeting will be held in Marystown October 25-27, 2001.