News & Events
Continuing Ed's Joan Manes Honored for Literacy Work
Manes, second from left, with Scholastic's Karen Proctor, far left, representing the LAC board of directors, and Paul Stanley and Tracy Cabanis, Bookbinders' Guild of New York, sponsors of the LAC Recognition Ceremony.
"According to the US Census, about a third of all adult Brooklyn residents have less than a full high school education and 25 percent speak English 'less than very well.' It's a pleasure and a privilege to be able to provide English and General Equivalency Diploma (GED) classes to people from all over the borough," says Joan Manes, director of education programs in City Tech's Division of Continuing Education,
Manes was recently honored by the Literacy Assistance Center (LAC) for being an educator who advances its mission to "support and promote the expansion of quality literacy services" to more than 55,000 clients in the metropolitan area.
"I am very honored to be a recipient of the Literacy Recognition Award," she said. "However, in a very real way, the best award is knowing that the programs I oversee make a real difference in the lives of adult Brooklynites. We offer free classes for students at all levels, from people with little or no reading ability through those preparing to take the GED exam."
At City Tech, Manes oversees more than 1,000 students who annually enroll in three programs - Basic Education (for adults whose reading level is below about 6th grade), English as a Second Language (ESL) and GED. But, as she is described by Carol Sonnenblick, dean of the Division of Continuing Studies at City Tech, Manes is "so much more than an administrator; she is an encourager." Sonnenblick went on to explain that Manes encourages her teachers to think creatively about the many ways in which classroom themes can be enhanced by developing collaborations with other Brooklyn institutions.
Along these lines, Manes has motivated her teachers to create partnerships with community entities beyond the College's borders. One ESL class, for example, visited a local nursing home, which resulted in the establishment of a pen pal project that enables students to practice their language skills with the elderly residents of the Cobble Hill Health Center. Additionally, Manes was instrumental in the creation of a family literacy partnership with the Brooklyn Museum that offered 12 Saturdays of ESL programming, each built around a theme connected to a particular exhibit.
"Joan's creativity, intellectual curiosity, accessibility and commitment to her chosen field have made her a more than worthy recipient of the Literacy Recognition Award," says Sonnenblick. "She expects the best of students and teachers and models excellence in her own everyday performance."
With a background of more than 15 years in the
field, Manes first made her mark at the Literacy Assistance Center
(LAC) in 1986 where she worked on the creation of an annual database
of
45,000 learners and conducted research to enlighten practitioners.
She also conducted a study of over 650 adult learners and a four-year
review of adult literacy programs in New York City during her four
years there.
Before coming to City Tech in 2000, Manes was research director of Baruch College's Search for Elevation and Education through Knowledge (SEEK) Program, an instructor in a community college-based literacy program in Santa Fe and an adjunct instructor of English at Northwestern Connecticut Community Technical College.
Other educators honored at the 2003 LAC awards ceremony included Marsha Davis and Sheila Krentz, New York City Department of Education's Office of Adult and Continuing Education; Maura Donnelly, LaGuardia Community College's Adult Learning Center; Martha Kamber, Sunset Park Adult and Family Education Center; Andre S. Gleaton, Thirteen/WNET; Bill Littlefield, The St. Agnes Branch of The New York Public Library; Eric Rosenbaum, HRA/FIA BEGIN Managed Programs; and Ida Sandler, Shorefront YM-YWHA of Brighton-Manhattan Beach.
Photo credit: Ken Levinson.
