Rotarians Receive Library of Congress Literacy Award for Guatemala Literacy Project

Posted October 1, 2020

Rotary Club of Pensacola President Sally Fox and International Club Grants Chair Sorna Khakzad announce that the International Guatemala Literacy Project Spark Reading Program has received a Library of Congress Literacy Award.

Rotarians in Northwest Florida District 6940 and Rotary International consisting of more than 600 Clubs and 80 Districts worldwide have helped educate over 220,000 Guatemalan indigenous students. The project, begun in 1997, includes four sustainable programs that have been identified by former Rotary International President Ian Riseley as “the gold standard of Rotary Projects”.

A literacy project like this is funded by Rotarians sponsoring a Global Grant to help” educate underserved Guatemalan students through reading projects break away from a life of poverty”, commented Guatemalan Project Point Person Julie Tippins Parker. A total of $5,000 was recently collected by District 6940 partnering with Rotary International to support the program.

“The program provides textbooks, computers, development training of teachers and parental support which results in sustainability,” said President Fox.

The Rotary Foundation funds District and Global Grants. A Global Grant’s mission is to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. District Grants support scholarships and community projects.

Interested in Rotary or the Guatemalan Literacy Project, contact Betty Roberts Communications Officer 850.572.4136 or bettybroberts@cox.net.