(submitted photo/LaVera Schiele)

By Ian Gustafson

Local Success

Local volunteer wins literacy award

Sep 7, 2019 | 9:00 AM

Local volunteer of the Prince Albert Literacy Network LaVera Schiele is the 2019 Council of the Federation Literacy Award (COFLA) winner.

Schiele told paNOW she feels very humbled and honoured to win the COFLA’s award.

“Literacy to me has been a passion throughout my whole life,” she said. “From when I started playing with dolls as a matter of fact. I would have my dolls lined up and I’d be teaching them and it has continued throughout my lifetime because I feel that literacy is very important to bring about change in family’s life.”

Schiele said it’s important to improve family literacy because parents are the child’s first and most important teachers.

“They are perfect for modeling the behaviour we want to see in society because children want to be just like their parents. It puts a lot of pressure on parents to teach their children before they even get to school,” Schiele said.

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She added in her 27 years of teaching she saw great improvements from children and their parents. The parents realize the seriousness and the impact of reading and learning on their children.

“The parents often return to school or in someway make improvements to their literacy and education so they can make a better life for their families,” Schiele said.

On an average day Schiele said she goes to community groups and introduces a book, which the parents can take home so they can start their child’s first library. After talking with Schiele, the parents will read the book to their children and do book-related activities.

“We all know learning is easier when a person is having fun,” she said.

When Schiele first started teaching about family literacy, she said she began helping people because she always felt she could make a difference in people’s lives.

“It has been a passion of mine that I could be an instrument to bring about improvements in lives and family lives are especially close to my heart because I love children. I think families are a wonderful way to pass along tradition,” Schiele said.

Schiele will be receiving her award at a formal event in the fall at the legislative building in Regina. She is looking forward to the night but at the same time is a little nervous.

“I’m just so grateful to the government for stressing the importance of literacy in our province,” she said.

In a media release from the Saskatchewan government, the award recognizes exceptional work from a family literacy volunteer.

The government awards literacy volunteers, literacy leaders, advocates, and learners every two years.

“I want to applaud LaVera on a much-deserved award that pays tribute to her unwavering dedication to improving family literacy programs,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Gordon Wyant said in the media release.

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ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12