In the Modern Era, when jobs and tasks in the U.S. are becoming increasingly less and less dependent on manual labor and more so on the knowledge assets and experience of the American workforce, it's not as much the creation of steel or the production of machinery that will maintain the pace of progress, but now more than ever, the birthing of ideas.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) currently reports that between 21% - 23% of Adults in the United States fall in the lowest levels of literacy. This percentage includes Americans of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

So comes the delicate balance between improving adult educational/literacy levels as a whole while fortifying and improving educational levels at the elementary/secondary levels as well. Adult literacy needs to improve so that as a workforce that is slowly moving away from labor-based tasks to knowledge-based tasks can compete on the global market for job preservation; hand-in-hand, elementary/secondary aged children need to be encouraged to stay in school and to pursue skills at the vocational or post-secondary/collegiate levels in order to improve our chances at remaining primed for that competitiveness.

Use your skills and personal life to make a difference! There is a wealth of programs active in the US but not of resources. If this matter speaks to you in any semblance of conviction at all, the most valuable thing you can give is your time.  Volunteer just an hour a week from your busy schedule---an hour affecting someone's education, improving their self-sufficiency--and the hope that they also may transfer your generosity of time into the educational needs of others.

There is no greater earthly gift than that of knowledge. Knowledge is permanent, bounded only by physiological anomaly, robust to natural disasters, financial strain, physical loss. Help preserve the skills, wisdom, and information necessary to keep such a precious possession alive and thriving in yourself and on the greater scale, as a country.

ProLiteracy Worldwide (formerly Literacy Volunteers of America) for info on how to become a volunteer.

  Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) for Georgia.

  In the working world? Encourage younger students to stay in school and stay on track by participating in the Choices.

   Visit the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

   Want to make a global impact? See how you can get involved in worldwide improvements in educational resources at Care, one of the pillar organizations in the One Campaign.