By Meredith MacKeen

Celebrating its 45-year anniversary, the Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC) continues to provide opportunities to improve literacy in Knowlton.

What Is Literacy?

Wendy Seys, Executive Director of YLC, defines literacy as: “Having the skills you need to meet your goals.” The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) defines literacy as the ability to: “Understand, evaluate, use and engage with written text…”

The most recent PIAAC statistics rank 21.8% of Quebec adults (French and English) as being at or below Level 1 (on a scale of 1–5). This is a worrisome increase from 19% a decade ago.

YLC’s Local Initiatives in Knowlton

Highlights of YLC’s work include:

• Workshops and Storytimes at Pettes Memorial Library
• Volunteer book reading at Knowlton Academy
• Free summertime “Camp in a Bag” kits that include books, activities and art supplies.

The Knowlton community has responded enthusiastically to support YLC. Author Louise Penny is YLC’s honorary patron and has made generous donations to the council. Local businesses such as Brome Lake Books and Virgin Hill Coffee have contributed. Over the years, residents have volunteered as board members and tutors.

Wendy Seys – A model of adult learning

Wendy Seys herself is a model of adult learning. As a mature student, she earned her Master’s in Adult Education from Concordia in 2017. Wendy is on the board of the Knowlton Literary Association, the organization that hosts an annual literary festival in mid-October. Authors share their work and visit Knowlton Academy and Massey Vanier

In addition, she is a judge for Brome Bright Lights, a story writing contest for elementary students, supported by Brome Lake Books. This year, there were over 200 entries.

Apart from her local involvement, she serves as the President of Literacy Quebec