Literacy

Dodgers all-star Tommy Davis was not supposed to sign autographs at his talk with area students at the Buena Vista Library yesterday. However, because the program that invited him is called Legends for Literacy, it only made sense for Davis to give his young audience something to read: his first and last name signed in permanent marker onto the students’ Dodger caps. Davis spoke to a group of about 90 students from Burroughs and Saint Finbar Parish School about the importance of reading.

It was almost 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon when a classroom of middle school students broke out into the chorus of “Lean on Me.” The 30-person sing-along was the culmination of social studies teacher Anthony Dima’s second “Rock the Classroom” course, a program that incorporates literacy fundamentals into music instruction. Students at John Muir and Luther Burbank middle schools as well as Emerson Elementary will participate in the Rock the Classroom courses for 12 weeks.

Irma Lemus BURBANK -- State Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) has requested $350,000 in state funding to bolster Burbank Unified School District's literacy program. The money would allow the district to continue providing literacy resource teachers to help students with special reading needs and would also be used for staff development, Schiff said in a written statement. Before it is included in the 2000-2001 California budget, the request must be approved by a joint Assembly-Senate budget committee.

services Tickets for today's Trivia Challenge 2003 at The Castaway are available at the Central Library, 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd. Price is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with an appetizer and dessert buffet, followed by the challenge at 7 p.m. KNBC-TV Channel 4 weatherman Fritz Coleman is the evening's emcee, as competing teams test their trivia knowledge in an event to benefit the Burbank Public Library's literacy services.

On Sept. 28, the Read & Practice Peacemaking Group at Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church will be discussing Harvard divinity graduate Chris Hedges’ latest book, “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and Triumph of Spectacle.” Hedges challenges the tendency to be more interested in “Octomom” than in the health insurance reform bill, and observes that we are more likely to vote for an American idol than for a public official. He asks: Are we being lured by the overwhelming multimedia assault into retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic?

Gary Moskowitz MAGNOLIA PARK -- Paula Paggy, the Burbank Unified School District librarian, knows books aren't doing much good when they are collecting dust on a library shelf. In an effort to boost students' interest in reading, Paggy is implementing a "bag of books" program at four Burbank elementary schools -- Roosevelt, Bret Harte, Stevenson and Miller -- and hopes more schools will pick up on the idea. "We want critical thinkers and lifelong learners with our students," Paggy said.

I am a tutor at the Burbank Central Library. I was amazed and encouraged by the overwhelming community support that I witnessed at Trivia Challenge 2001, the recent fund-raiser held at The Castaway restaurant for Burbank's literacy program. In a time when things seem so factious, it was warming to see people joining together across race, sex and economic borders to support a cause that has at its core the desire to share a common language and understanding.

The Castaway Restaurant served as the venue for a gathering of the members of the Burbank Shrine Club as they observed their annual installation of officers this past Sunday evening. The event, which also included an official visit from Shrine Potentate, the Illustrious Sir Dave Chernik of the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple of Los Angeles, saw local Masons and Shriners joined by their family members to both honor the incoming officers and directors and show their appreciation to the outgoing 2012 leadership.

Karen Apostolina Aida Amirian is from Iran and speaks three languages, Armenian, Persian and English. But she really wanted to be able to read books written in English to her 4-year-old daughter. While looking around the Burbank Central Library one day, she spotted a flier advertising free tutoring for reading and writing. She called the number and four months later, mother and daughter are doing very well. "The goal of reading to her daughter was very important to her," said Robert Navarro, her tutor.

The Castaway Restaurant served as the venue for a gathering of the members of the Burbank Shrine Club as they observed their annual installation of officers this past Sunday evening. The event, which also included an official visit from Shrine Potentate, the Illustrious Sir Dave Chernik of the Al Malaikah Shrine Temple of Los Angeles, saw local Masons and Shriners joined by their family members to both honor the incoming officers and directors and show their appreciation to the outgoing 2012 leadership.

On Sept. 28, the Read & Practice Peacemaking Group at Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church will be discussing Harvard divinity graduate Chris Hedges’ latest book, “Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and Triumph of Spectacle.” Hedges challenges the tendency to be more interested in “Octomom” than in the health insurance reform bill, and observes that we are more likely to vote for an American idol than for a public official. He asks: Are we being lured by the overwhelming multimedia assault into retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic?

Dodgers all-star Tommy Davis was not supposed to sign autographs at his talk with area students at the Buena Vista Library yesterday. However, because the program that invited him is called Legends for Literacy, it only made sense for Davis to give his young audience something to read: his first and last name signed in permanent marker onto the students’ Dodger caps. Davis spoke to a group of about 90 students from Burroughs and Saint Finbar Parish School about the importance of reading.

It was almost 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon when a classroom of middle school students broke out into the chorus of “Lean on Me.” The 30-person sing-along was the culmination of social studies teacher Anthony Dima’s second “Rock the Classroom” course, a program that incorporates literacy fundamentals into music instruction. Students at John Muir and Luther Burbank middle schools as well as Emerson Elementary will participate in the Rock the Classroom courses for 12 weeks.

B oston University's religion department head Stephen Prothero's new book, "Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know — And Doesn't," reports that though most Americans say they are religious, they aren't very religiously literate. That is, according to Prothero, Americans lack critical knowledge about their own religions and of others. Surveys report that only half of adult Americans can name any of the four Gospels. And most Americans can't name the first book of the Bible.

BURBANK — One book. Another chapter. Lots of literacy. With the start of "Burbank Reads: Building Community Page by Page," the Burbank Public Library aims to promote literacy and foster better communication, said Sharon Cohen, Burbank Public Library services director. "The goal is to increase reading and encourage the love of reading and to get people together to talk about it," Cohen said. The reading program is based on the one-city, one-book concept, where a book is selected and everyone in the city reads it, she said.

International singer/songwriter Morris Albert has that special touch for bringing couples together, especially when they hear his 1974 multi-platinum hit "Feelings," known the world over for its sentimental lyrics and moving melody. Several years ago, he met a couple who had been separated for two years and were planning to meet the next day with their lawyers to divorce. They decided to spend their last night together seeing Albert's concert, to remember the song that was popular when they started dating, he said.

CABRINI LITERARY GUILD HAS FUNDRAISER The Cabrini Literary Guild will have its annual fundraiser "Flamenco Ole" today at the Oakmont Country Club in Glendale. The chairwoman is Marie Urrutia. President of the guild is Carmen McClelland. The event begins at 11 a.m. with a social hour and viewing of auction items. There will be a silent auction including gift baskets, original oil paintings and more. There will also be a money raffle. Entertainment will feature the La Sole flamenco dancers.

Karen Apostolina Aida Amirian is from Iran and speaks three languages, Armenian, Persian and English. But she really wanted to be able to read books written in English to her 4-year-old daughter. While looking around the Burbank Central Library one day, she spotted a flier advertising free tutoring for reading and writing. She called the number and four months later, mother and daughter are doing very well. "The goal of reading to her daughter was very important to her," said Robert Navarro, her tutor.