BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Each month, “WBZ Cares” highlights a worthy non-profit organization and tells the story of what that organization does for the community. This month WBZ is profiling First Literacy in Boston, ensuring adults with low-literacy or limited English proficiency have high-quality educational opportunities that enable them to thrive.
First Literacy Executive Director Skye Kramer says their main fundraiser is a corporate spelling bee.
“It’s the oldest corporate spelling bee in the country. It’s a team-based event, so corporations will donate to First Literacy to participate in the spelling bee and they will send a team of three spellers to compete against other corporations,” Kramer stated.
And why put on a spelling bee?
“Well, the spelling bee was created in 1990 and I think that the reason is the connection with literacy. It really is important that people know how to spell and in this day of spell check it’s, I hate to say, I hate to think of it as, a dying skill, but it may be,” Kramer outlined.
First Literacy has been helping teach English language skills for three decades now. Kramer says they’re honoring the man who realized the need for an organization like this, and helped create it.
“This year in honor of our thirtieth anniversary we are honoring our founder, former Mayor Ray Flynn, with our Literacy Leader Award,” Kramer concluded.
WBZ NewsRadio1030's Doug Cope Reports