Baton Rouge, La.—The Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition (GBRLC) is encouraging East Baton Rouge Parish high school students to get involved in their second public service announcement competition. GBRLC’s annual Literacy Week celebration is approaching in December 2010, and the theme of the week is “Learn to Earn.” By participating in the PSA competition, students will help raise awareness of the connection between learning and the power to earn higher wages, respect, and whatever else they might identify as a benefit of learning. As individuals complete higher levels of education (or return to school after dropping out), they gain a sense of self-worth that is priceless. GBRLC is eager to partner with local high school students to publicize this message to the community.

The competition is an opportunity to increase awareness of the illiteracy that plagues Baton Rouge families and causes a great deal of drawbacks when it comes to workforce opportunities. The winning PSA from 2009 ran on WBRZ earlier this year and can be seen on Facebook, YouTube and GBRLC’s website. This year’s winner’s ideas could possibly become GBRLC’s 2010 PSA, and the winning school will receive a cash prize!

The contest guidelines are simple. Participating students must attend an EBR public high school and be between the ages of 14 and 18. Their entry must include a concept paper, a script and a storyboard. Their work can be submitted via mail, email, fax or dropped off in person. Submissions must be turned in on or before October 22, 2010 by 4p.m.

To create a better society, we must start with an educational system that provides a learning environment and allows all children to reach their full potential, while also providing literacy and GED programs for adults who have slipped through the cracks. This will result in a more dynamic culture and break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy that confines far too many young adults.

According to the Advocate, roughly 2,000 Baton Rouge area high school students quit school in 2008 alone. To keep our youth from becoming a part of this statistic, we must join forces to create a more well-read, cultured and educated environment for our children to grow up in. This starts in the home and in the classroom. Involving students in this competition it may be the changing factor that causes a student not to dropout or causes a student to return to school.

For more information on the Literacy Week PSA Competition or any other services offered by the Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition, call (225) 381-7141 or email debbie@brac.org.

About the Greater Baton Rouge Literacy Coalition

GBRLC is a non-profit organization that was started in 2005 as part of a community-wide Literacy Plan. GBRLC’s mission is devoted to promoting adult literacy by establishing a well-managed interconnected system that encourages literacy service providers by providing training, technical assistance, funding, resources, advocacy, student recruitment and other support. GBRLC’s ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life of individuals and their families.