INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Literacy Services of Indian River County recently held its inaugural PEN (Parents Engaged Now for the love of their child) graduation at Fellsmere Elementary School.
The PEN project which was created by Literacy Services for parents in Indian River County was funded by Indian River Impact 100. The PEN project is designed to inspire and motivate parents to become more engaged in their child’s education and to help them feel more comfortable interacting with the school system through interactive instructional workshops.
The PEN project had 30 parents sign up for the inaugural project and 26 of those 30 parents successfully graduated from the program.
Superintendent Dr. Rendell gave opening remarks, Fellsmere Elementary Principal Ramon Echeverria gave the keynote address and Literacy Services Board President Don Mann gave the closing statements.
Several families gave testimonials of how the PEN project has changed their family.
The families noted how their own lives would have been different if their parents had engaged them in their academic success. The families commented on how they realized their own behavior impacts their children and that they are their child’s most important teacher and role model. Before they thought it was the school system’s job. The families noted that they want to see their child graduate not only from high school but college.
Literacy Services is a United Way agency partner that receives no federal, state or local funding.
