READING KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM, WORKPLACE

Forty percent of adults in Missouri score in the lowest two levels of literacy.

More than 1 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 can't read.

As many as 780 million people in the world can't read or write.

These are some scary statistics, and they can get scarier in that they affect day-to-day lifestyles and world industry's productivity and profitability.

Reading is so important say some Cape Girardeau business executives.

"Reading is the key to information," said Nancy Bray, director of marketing and communications at Southeast Missouri Hospital, and the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Education Committee chairwoman. "Information is a key to good health and to success in the classroom and-or workplace."

As a former teacher at the high school and university level -- she taught at Southeast Missouri University before joining Southeast Hospital -- Bray has seen firsthand the correlation of low literacy with poor grades, low self-esteem and failure in the classroom.

According to Literacy Investment for Tomorrow, Missouri's Literacy Resource Center, 40 percent of adult Missourians score in the lowest two levels of literacy, said Bray. About half of those adults live in poverty and have no job, said Bray. Only 4 to 8 percent of adults in the two higher levels of literacy live in poverty.

"I support our community's efforts to battle illiteracy not only because of the economic benefits but also because of the personal enrichment individuals experience as they become more literate and better able to function as employees, parents and citizens," said Bray.

One of the programs designed to promote literacy is YELL.

YELL, an acronym for Youth Educaiton Literacy and Learning, is a joint project to promote literacy, sponsored by the Southeast Missourian newspaper, Area Wide United Way and a number of other sponsors and supporters.

This is the eighth year for the program, which was initiated in 1991. Thousands of YELL newspaper have been printed and sold each year, with funds designated for literacy projects throughout the area.

Chamber president John Mehner agrees that reading is very important.

Reading in grade school is one of the best indicators of a youngster's potential success in the future.

Many workplaces and businesses today offer in-house literacy programs, said Mehner.

"Some will help with tuition costs of university classes, some manufacturers establish GED classes and others have extensive training programs," said Mehner.

Statistics reveal that employees with higher education and more training do well in the workplace.

Employees with higher literacy skills have more earning potential, greater career choices and professional advancement opportunities, he added.

In a recent survey of more than 1,000 executives 90 percent reported that illiteracy hurts production.

Dennis Marchi, manager of Schnucks Food and Drug, 19 S. Kingshighway, has long been a supporter of the YELL program. He was a member of the committee that helped develop the program in 1991.

Everything is tied into reading, said Marchi recently, adding that "it's scary when you look at statistics on the number of people who don't know how to read."