Jacques Demers: Literacy and His Life’S Journey Page 2 Every Province and Territory

20 Years, continued from page 5

Celebrating 20 Years of Service: 1992 ~ 2012 Fall 2012 Literacy is the ability to use printed information to function in society, at work and in the family. It is often combined with other skills, such as thinking and problem solving, oral “The definition of literacy has evolved, and communication, numeracy, computer use, working there were changes over the years in how in a team and continuous learning, to become the 20 Years: our goals were met, but the goals remain essential skill set needed to control our lives, achieve Changing Names, unchanged and that is a great compliment our goals and develop our knowledge and potential. to LNS. For over twenty years, Literacy Nova Scotia has remained true to its mission,” Ann Our Mission: That all Nova Scotians have equal Same Mission Marie emphasizes. “Mission drift is a downfall access to quality literacy, essential skills, and for an organization, and like any non-profit, you lifelong learning opportunities. Literacy Nova The problem of low literacy in Canada is an have to go where the funding is. Literacy Nova Scotia cares about literacy and essential skills historic one, and for many years there have Scotia has managed to do this and still maintain a learning opportunities being available wherever and been job readiness, employment skills and commitment to its core values.” whenever there is a need or interest. That means adult upgrading programs offered in every we support community sector programs and college province. In the 1960s, Canada Manpower programs were created to tackle low literacy Literacy Nova Scotia has always been a and school board programs, as well as programs in adults. These were all literacy programs but voice for adults with low literacy who could in workplaces. LNS supports the adult literacy field under a different name. The term ‘literacy’ was not speak for themselves. As the glue that in the broadest sense. We have always known that keeps literacy together in this province, LNS literacy is bigger than reading and writing. We know not widely used. has connections to learners, practitioners, that literacy is all those skills needed for accessing In the 1980s, an international study on adult governments and the business world, and allows and using information that help us contribute to our literacy painted a bleak picture of the literacy movement of ideas from one to the other. For communities, families and workplaces. skills of Canadians. Senator Joyce Fairbairn all of us, learning is life-long, and as a conduit began to speak publicly about the seriousness for learning, Literacy Nova Scotia has become a How to reach us... of the literacy problem; but there was also a voice for all. Literacy Nova Scotia serious misunderstanding of the root of the NSCC Truro Campus problem. Articles were appearing in newspapers Room 125, Forrester Hall 36 Arthur Street across the country that linked literacy rates with financial and economic issues. LNS co-founder Truro NS B2N 1X5 economic ills of the country instead of actually Jane MacDonald recalls reading a Globe and + doing something to help them improve their PO Box 1516 Mail article in which the author blamed adults Truro, NS B2N 5V2 skills. This was just a dreadful ‘blame the victim’ with low literacy skills for Canada’s economic attitude,” observes Jane. “People have low ( 902-897-2444 woes. “The article suggested that we should hold literacy because the system failed them, not the 1-800-255-5203 Learn Line ‘illiterate’ people responsible for the social and other way around.” + 902-897-4020 fax ; [email protected] In 1987 the National Literacy Secretariat was formed to provide funding for the creation We are very proud to have served the literacy : www.ns.literacy.ca What’s Inside? community in this province for 20 years. We look of an independent literacy organization in These regional ahead to a future where all Nova Scotians continue Jacques Demers: Literacy and His Life’s Journey page 2 every province and territory. organizations would be able to examine and to have equal access to Literacy, Essential Skills, Downright Awesome Learners page 3 This organization is partly funded by the Government of address issues at the local level and provide Lifelong Learning and Workplace Education ACALA TV page 7 Canada’s Office of Literacy and Essential Skills. solutions. Continued on page 4 opportunities. All Content © Literacy Nova Scotia

8 1 opportunity to succeed. Through the highs and Besides video production, ACALA TV acts as Jacques Demers: lows of his address we were challenged to reflect an online community access channel offering on our own lives: “just because you graduated Literacy and His Life’s live musical performances, news summaries, from university doesn’t mean you’re smarter or that news stories, person on the street interviews, you have better judgment than someone who has Journey informational updates, infomercials for non- trouble reading and writing. I’ve fought hard and I’ve By Lesley Dunn profits, and commercials for local businesses. overcome the challenges I faced.” ACALA TV’s USTREAM (ustream.tv/user/ I watched intently as our learners listened to AcalaTv) and YouTube (youtube.com/user/ On November 15, 2012, thanks to the Investors Demers’ message, their faces acknowledging ACALATV) channels provide platforms for literacy organizations and adult learners to broadcast Group and Literacy Nova Scotia, I had the great that this man has walked the same path as they information. Content from Antigonish Culture privilege of taking a group of adult learners and managed to achieve great things in his Alive, the Antigonish Heritage Museum, the Save from the Dartmouth Learning Network to hear life. I cheered inwardly when he challenged those our Seas and Shores Coalition, and Friends Senator Jacques Demers, former head coach of in the audience to be the first to lend a hand and of the Antigonish Library have been broadcast the 1993 Stanley Cup winning team the Montreal the first to show respect when they encountered over the ACALA TV USTREAM channel. Several Canadiens, and two time winner of the Jack Adams anyone with literacy challenges, as they will never events have been live streamed from remote Editor Bryden Wallace reviews broadcast script Award for NHL Coach of the Year speak at the Bella truly understand the circumstances that led that locations. Rose Centre in Halifax. individual to where they are today. (StFX) Extension Department, and the StFX Demers spent much of his life hiding an inability In a quiet message to our learners he In collaboration with diverse groups such as School of Nursing, ACALA TV has broadcast a to read or write. He grew up in a home with challenged them to continually test themselves, the Coady International Institute, The Bergengren number of internationally recognized speakers considerable violence and explains when you live in to not be afraid of failure as it is a stepping stone Credit Union, VOICES Antigonish, SELECT including Dr. Vandana Shiva and Dr. Ann Waters- that kind of environment the noise through the night to learning, and to Nova Scotia, the St. Francis Xavier University Bayer. Educational and informational content is makes it difficult for you to sleep and impossible never be the one provided free of charge to anyone with an internet for you to learn during the day. He has overcome to say “if only I had connection. These many challenges in his life and believes that done...” as life is activities are subsidized everything is possible if you believe in yourself. too short for regrets through ACALA TV’s and what-ifs. His message to those in the audience was clear. promotional video “When things go bad you cannot crumble under It was a perfect production which pressure. We all have the right to dream and when evening to share generates revenue. we stop dreaming of what could be it becomes with our learners ACALA TV contracts hard to achieve that goal. We all have weaknesses and we are very experienced film and we all have strengths. My weakness was my grateful to the directors and sound struggle with literacy. Too many people want a Investors Group engineers to oversee smooth ride to the end of the goal road. Normal and Literacy production which people work hard to achieve their goals. Those Nova Scotia for ensures their work meets industry that tell you that you are incapable of reaching your this wonderful standards. goals don’t want you to succeed and are jealous opportunity. Just Jacques Demers with Marie Williamson, of those who do succeed, so don’t listen to them. when you think winner of a special autographed picture. You need to have confidence in yourself. Have a the evening could ACALA TV offers vision for your future and accept responsibility for not get any better workshops to literacy organizations and how you are to reach that vision. Do not lay blame one of our learners won an autographed picture practitioners on on others if you hit a bump in the road. Those who of Demers on the bench during his historic 1993 photography, video expect to be given things fail. You have to pay a Stanley Cup win with the Montreal Canadiens, a production and social marketing skills. They price to succeed and that price is hard work and symbolic passing of the torch from one man who welcome volunteers, particularly those with a determination.” overcame his literacy challenges to one young background in journalism, video production, or woman who is looking to overcome her own. Demers spoke passionately about his life’s documentary filmmaking. They are happy to train journey; about the people along the way who Lesley Dunn is Executive Director of the ACALATV Project Coordinator Carriff Shabala and mentor any individual willing to work hard were never afraid to provide him with an Dartmouth Literacy Network and learn.

2 7 enhanced them to the point that she became an organizational tutor for NSCC Disability Services. ACALA TV While she had a home computer, she rarely used it, By Philip Girvan only to send an occasional email. Today Terri-Lyn teaches her children how to operate different software programs. Her computer skills have developed to the point ACALA TV began in 2011 when Antigonish that she can now list them on her resume as County Adult Learning Association (ACALA) employable skills. partnered with Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Maia to create community access television that could be broadcast via the Internet. ACALA’s network administrator Lise de Villiers shared Maia’s vision of using video production as a way to educate and inform, and recognized Terri-Lyn Foley the potential training opportunity for learners Just a few years ago, Terri-Lyn Foley felt that in their program. With help from the People’s Cameraperson Joanna Bisson she was facing a life on Social Assistance. Place Library in Antigonish and funding from the The only jobs she could get involved manual Department of Labour and Advanced Education labour which her severe arthritis made impossible. and Literacy Nova Scotia, ACALA TV became a The ACALA TV crew consists of eight to ten Her future changed dramatically when she reality in September 2011. They hit the ground ACALA learners at any one time. In addition enrolled in the Adult Learning Program at NSCC running: one month later, ACALA TV’s first to Executive Producers Heitor Maia and Lise Truro in 2009. A year later, Terri-Lyn was one production Antigonite: The Movie, a documentary de Villiers, and Community Producer Philip of Literacy Nova Scotia’s 2010 Scholarship on the local arts scene premiered at the Girvan, four graduates from the GAP program winners. Her program instructors said, “Terri- Antigonish International Film Festival. Since then, are currently working with a team of professional Lyn has consistently demonstrated a high level ACALA TV has been contracted by local groups filmmakers on a series of documentaries about of competency in all the tasks which she was to produce videos and promotional trailers. the need for affordable housing solutions in Antigonish town and county. Another LMA GAP assigned. She has been a benefit to the classroom, graduate is part of a team producing a series of the college and the community.” Terri-Lyn went on infomercials for other literacy organizations in the to graduate with her Disability Supports Diploma Strait Region. Three other learners are currently – with honours! She currently works at the on a pre-employment work experience at ACALA Canadian Mental Health Association and she loves TV through funding from the Department of her job. She is an active community volunteer, Looking back over her adult learning journey, Community and Social Services. and she recently fulfilled another important dream: Terri-Lyn says she always believed she was purchasing her first house! smart, and now she has an education to back The top priority for ACALA TV is training adult up her beliefs. “I know that tomorrow I could learners to gain marketable skills to help Terri-Lyn remembers the moment she first lose everything. It has already happened to me them gain meaningful employment. In addition walked into an ALP classroom: “My future once. But now I know that I have an education, so to learning the nine essential skills, learners began to change, and change it certainly did. I have the tools to rebuild my life if I should ever have an opportunity to develop specific skills Initially I intended to enroll in the IT program at have to again. such as news gathering, reporting, interviewing, the college after I completed the ALP, however “I had a bucket list when I started: Graduate scriptwriting, storyboarding, photography, things happened that changed my direction. While high school, learn to drive a car, get a car, graduate videography, editing, public speaking, production helping fellow classmates that were struggling from college, get a job and buy a house. Now every values, and live streaming. Learners have to with school work, I discovered that I loved helping single thing is crossed off, so I have a new list: Get be able to think quickly and be decisive. For people to help themselves. Imagine my excitement my degree, travel to Europe, visit the North and example, during a recent live broadcast, Camera when I also discovered that not only could I make take my children to Disney. Before ALP, dreams #1 lost its feed. The cameraperson, who had a living at it, but I could study Human Services at were just dreams, but now dreams are actually gone through an ACALA workforce literacy the Truro Campus.” to-do lists. That’s the best thing I took away from program, was able to react swiftly and resolve the Before attending ALP, Terri-Lyn felt that she had the ALP program: the belief that I can make my L - R: Editor Kevin Briand with Joanna Bisson and filmmaker Peter issue as the broadcast continued via Camera #2. Murphy good organizational skills. Returning to school dreams come true.”

6 3 20 Years, continued from page 1 The new NSPLC By 1991, the Continuous Learning Association acquired their first of Nova Scotia had received funding for regional office location in facilitators to seek out literacy stakeholders Forrester Hall at across Nova Scotia and organize discussions that NSCC Truro, and would lead to the formation of this province’s first a coordinator and literacy coalition. These stakeholders would include office manager were other organizations, not-for-profit associations, hired. After all this volunteers, and established service providers such was in place, NSPLC as Laubach Councils, as well as anyone who could began a series of be considered a ‘consumer’ of adult learning. projects that moved the organization forward. Jane MacDonald After submitting an remembers the “We formed the Nova Scotia Provincial Literacy extensive application evening when she met Coalition,” says Barb. “Most provinces were using to the National Literacy one of the regional their provincial name in their titles. We started with Secretariat, they facilitators at the ‘NS’ and were going to follow it up with ‘Literacy received funds for their University of Cape Coalition’ until someone realized that the letters 1992-93 activities: Literacy Nova Scotia has Breton (UCB) where NSLC already stood for something else! So we “We felt like we were walking leadership skills maintained that province- she was working as added the ‘P’ for ‘Provincial’ and ended up with and running at the same time training for literacy and wide focus.” their resource centre NSPLC.” to build the organization and community volunteers, manager. “He was a community- In the twenty years do the literacy work.” doing research on Barb recalls the early days of the coalition: “We based evaluation that Literacy Nova Scotia has served the whether there was a received tremendous support from our funders and ~ project, curriculum need for an umbrella the literacy section of the Department of Education. Barbara Moreton development support community, ‘literacy’ has Former Chair organization that could We built the organization from the ground up, called Open Doors, grown and expanded to bring all the community- everything from registering with joint stocks to and a conference include essential skills, based adult learning creating our mission.” The NSPLC’s mission was: for practitioners and workforce development, groups in Nova Scotia • Promote the right and access to publicly funded learners. curriculum develop- together. I was able to continuing education for everyone. ment, workplace contribute because I • Promote equity and equality in education. “It was quite the exciting time!” says Barb. “We education, employability, had been involved in the • Increase public awareness of the availability of were a provincial organization that represented not cultural and life skills, “People have low literacy public school system, existing education and training for adults. only the geography and demography of literacy, but portfolio, prior learning, because the system failed and with initiatives like also the issues and concerns of its membership. competency levels, and We felt like we were walking and running at the the list goes on. What them, not the other way UCB’s co-op reading program. I knew the same time to build the organization and do the remains constant in the around.” “ here were changes over importance of literacy, literacy work.” definition of literacy is T the years in how our goals ~Jane MacDonald and I knew we all had to that learning is applied in Co-Founder work together to make In 2002, Ann Marie Downie became the all aspects of one’s life, were met, but the goals things better.” executive director of the coalition. In 2003, whether it is in the home, remain unchanged and NSPLC officially changed its name to Literacy in the workplace, or in the that is a great compliment Association of Nova Scotia, but became known community. In 1992, after a series of provincial meetings to Literacy Nova Scotia.” and much discussion, one adult learner and as Literacy Nova Scotia. Ann Marie had been in government during the founding process and had “The goals of Literacy one practitioner were chosen from each of six ~Ann Marie Downie regions in Nova Scotia to form the new coalition. watched from a distance. “The coalition founders Nova Scotia were sound Former Executive Director From these twelve representatives, two co-chairs were adamant that this organization be provincial and inclusive right from were selected: Craig Logan, an adult learner from in focus, and not just centred in one area of the the beginning and they Sheet Harbour and practitioner Barb Moreton. province, even though a lot of the literacy activity haven’t changed,” says at the time was centred in Halifax. To this day, Ann Marie. Continued on page 8

4 5 20 Years, continued from page 1 The new NSPLC By 1991, the Continuous Learning Association acquired their first of Nova Scotia had received funding for regional office location in facilitators to seek out literacy stakeholders Forrester Hall at across Nova Scotia and organize discussions that NSCC Truro, and would lead to the formation of this province’s first a coordinator and literacy coalition. These stakeholders would include office manager were other organizations, not-for-profit associations, hired. After all this volunteers, and established service providers such was in place, NSPLC as Laubach Councils, as well as anyone who could began a series of be considered a ‘consumer’ of adult learning. projects that moved the organization forward. Jane MacDonald After submitting an remembers the “We formed the Nova Scotia Provincial Literacy extensive application evening when she met Coalition,” says Barb. “Most provinces were using to the National Literacy one of the regional their provincial name in their titles. We started with Secretariat, they facilitators at the ‘NS’ and were going to follow it up with ‘Literacy received funds for their University of Cape Coalition’ until someone realized that the letters 1992-93 activities: Literacy Nova Scotia has Breton (UCB) where NSLC already stood for something else! So we “We felt like we were walking leadership skills maintained that province- she was working as added the ‘P’ for ‘Provincial’ and ended up with and running at the same time training for literacy and wide focus.” their resource centre NSPLC.” to build the organization and community volunteers, manager. “He was a community- In the twenty years do the literacy work.” doing research on Barb recalls the early days of the coalition: “We based evaluation that Literacy Nova Scotia has served the whether there was a received tremendous support from our funders and ~ project, curriculum need for an umbrella the literacy section of the Department of Education. Barbara Moreton development support community, ‘literacy’ has Former Chair organization that could We built the organization from the ground up, called Open Doors, grown and expanded to bring all the community- everything from registering with joint stocks to and a conference include essential skills, based adult learning creating our mission.” The NSPLC’s mission was: for practitioners and workforce development, groups in Nova Scotia • Promote the right and access to publicly funded learners. curriculum develop- together. I was able to continuing education for everyone. ment, workplace contribute because I • Promote equity and equality in education. “It was quite the exciting time!” says Barb. “We education, employability, had been involved in the • Increase public awareness of the availability of were a provincial organization that represented not cultural and life skills, “People have low literacy public school system, existing education and training for adults. only the geography and demography of literacy, but portfolio, prior learning, because the system failed and with initiatives like also the issues and concerns of its membership. competency levels, and We felt like we were walking and running at the the list goes on. What them, not the other way UCB’s co-op reading program. I knew the same time to build the organization and do the remains constant in the around.” “ here were changes over importance of literacy, literacy work.” definition of literacy is T the years in how our goals ~Jane MacDonald and I knew we all had to that learning is applied in Co-Founder work together to make In 2002, Ann Marie Downie became the all aspects of one’s life, were met, but the goals things better.” executive director of the coalition. In 2003, whether it is in the home, remain unchanged and NSPLC officially changed its name to Literacy in the workplace, or in the that is a great compliment Association of Nova Scotia, but became known community. In 1992, after a series of provincial meetings to Literacy Nova Scotia.” and much discussion, one adult learner and as Literacy Nova Scotia. Ann Marie had been in government during the founding process and had “The goals of Literacy one practitioner were chosen from each of six ~Ann Marie Downie regions in Nova Scotia to form the new coalition. watched from a distance. “The coalition founders Nova Scotia were sound Former Executive Director From these twelve representatives, two co-chairs were adamant that this organization be provincial and inclusive right from were selected: Craig Logan, an adult learner from in focus, and not just centred in one area of the the beginning and they Sheet Harbour and practitioner Barb Moreton. province, even though a lot of the literacy activity haven’t changed,” says at the time was centred in Halifax. To this day, Ann Marie. Continued on page 8

4 5 enhanced them to the point that she became an organizational tutor for NSCC Disability Services. ACALA TV While she had a home computer, she rarely used it, By Philip Girvan only to send an occasional email. Today Terri-Lyn teaches her children how to operate different software programs. Her computer skills have developed to the point ACALA TV began in 2011 when Antigonish that she can now list them on her resume as County Adult Learning Association (ACALA) employable skills. partnered with Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Maia to create community access television that could be broadcast via the Internet. ACALA’s network administrator Lise de Villiers shared Maia’s vision of using video production as a way to educate and inform, and recognized Terri-Lyn Foley the potential training opportunity for learners Just a few years ago, Terri-Lyn Foley felt that in their program. With help from the People’s Cameraperson Joanna Bisson she was facing a life on Social Assistance. Place Library in Antigonish and funding from the The only jobs she could get involved manual Department of Labour and Advanced Education labour which her severe arthritis made impossible. and Literacy Nova Scotia, ACALA TV became a The ACALA TV crew consists of eight to ten Her future changed dramatically when she reality in September 2011. They hit the ground ACALA learners at any one time. In addition enrolled in the Adult Learning Program at NSCC running: one month later, ACALA TV’s first to Executive Producers Heitor Maia and Lise Truro in 2009. A year later, Terri-Lyn was one production Antigonite: The Movie, a documentary de Villiers, and Community Producer Philip of Literacy Nova Scotia’s 2010 Scholarship on the local arts scene premiered at the Girvan, four graduates from the GAP program winners. Her program instructors said, “Terri- Antigonish International Film Festival. Since then, are currently working with a team of professional Lyn has consistently demonstrated a high level ACALA TV has been contracted by local groups filmmakers on a series of documentaries about of competency in all the tasks which she was to produce videos and promotional trailers. the need for affordable housing solutions in Antigonish town and county. Another LMA GAP assigned. She has been a benefit to the classroom, graduate is part of a team producing a series of the college and the community.” Terri-Lyn went on infomercials for other literacy organizations in the to graduate with her Disability Supports Diploma Strait Region. Three other learners are currently – with honours! She currently works at the on a pre-employment work experience at ACALA Canadian Mental Health Association and she loves TV through funding from the Department of her job. She is an active community volunteer, Looking back over her adult learning journey, Community and Social Services. and she recently fulfilled another important dream: Terri-Lyn says she always believed she was purchasing her first house! smart, and now she has an education to back The top priority for ACALA TV is training adult up her beliefs. “I know that tomorrow I could learners to gain marketable skills to help Terri-Lyn remembers the moment she first lose everything. It has already happened to me them gain meaningful employment. In addition walked into an ALP classroom: “My future once. But now I know that I have an education, so to learning the nine essential skills, learners began to change, and change it certainly did. I have the tools to rebuild my life if I should ever have an opportunity to develop specific skills Initially I intended to enroll in the IT program at have to again. such as news gathering, reporting, interviewing, the college after I completed the ALP, however “I had a bucket list when I started: Graduate scriptwriting, storyboarding, photography, things happened that changed my direction. While high school, learn to drive a car, get a car, graduate videography, editing, public speaking, production helping fellow classmates that were struggling from college, get a job and buy a house. Now every values, and live streaming. Learners have to with school work, I discovered that I loved helping single thing is crossed off, so I have a new list: Get be able to think quickly and be decisive. For people to help themselves. Imagine my excitement my degree, travel to Europe, visit the North and example, during a recent live broadcast, Camera when I also discovered that not only could I make take my children to Disney. Before ALP, dreams #1 lost its feed. The cameraperson, who had a living at it, but I could study Human Services at were just dreams, but now dreams are actually gone through an ACALA workforce literacy the Truro Campus.” to-do lists. That’s the best thing I took away from program, was able to react swiftly and resolve the Before attending ALP, Terri-Lyn felt that she had the ALP program: the belief that I can make my L - R: Editor Kevin Briand with Joanna Bisson and filmmaker Peter issue as the broadcast continued via Camera #2. Murphy good organizational skills. Returning to school dreams come true.”

6 3 opportunity to succeed. Through the highs and Besides video production, ACALA TV acts as Jacques Demers: lows of his address we were challenged to reflect an online community access channel offering on our own lives: “just because you graduated Literacy and His Life’s live musical performances, news summaries, from university doesn’t mean you’re smarter or that news stories, person on the street interviews, you have better judgment than someone who has Journey informational updates, infomercials for non- trouble reading and writing. I’ve fought hard and I’ve By Lesley Dunn profits, and commercials for local businesses. overcome the challenges I faced.” ACALA TV’s USTREAM (ustream.tv/user/ I watched intently as our learners listened to AcalaTv) and YouTube (youtube.com/user/ On November 15, 2012, thanks to the Investors Demers’ message, their faces acknowledging ACALATV) channels provide platforms for literacy organizations and adult learners to broadcast Group and Literacy Nova Scotia, I had the great that this man has walked the same path as they information. Content from Antigonish Culture privilege of taking a group of adult learners and managed to achieve great things in his Alive, the Antigonish Heritage Museum, the Save from the Dartmouth Learning Network to hear life. I cheered inwardly when he challenged those our Seas and Shores Coalition, and Friends Senator Jacques Demers, former head coach of in the audience to be the first to lend a hand and of the Antigonish Library have been broadcast the 1993 Stanley Cup winning team the Montreal the first to show respect when they encountered over the ACALA TV USTREAM channel. Several Canadiens, and two time winner of the Jack Adams anyone with literacy challenges, as they will never events have been live streamed from remote Editor Bryden Wallace reviews broadcast script Award for NHL Coach of the Year speak at the Bella truly understand the circumstances that led that locations. Rose Centre in Halifax. individual to where they are today. (StFX) Extension Department, and the StFX Demers spent much of his life hiding an inability In a quiet message to our learners he In collaboration with diverse groups such as School of Nursing, ACALA TV has broadcast a to read or write. He grew up in a home with challenged them to continually test themselves, the Coady International Institute, The Bergengren number of internationally recognized speakers considerable violence and explains when you live in to not be afraid of failure as it is a stepping stone Credit Union, VOICES Antigonish, SELECT including Dr. Vandana Shiva and Dr. Ann Waters- that kind of environment the noise through the night to learning, and to Nova Scotia, the St. Francis Xavier University Bayer. Educational and informational content is makes it difficult for you to sleep and impossible never be the one provided free of charge to anyone with an internet for you to learn during the day. He has overcome to say “if only I had connection. These many challenges in his life and believes that done...” as life is activities are subsidized everything is possible if you believe in yourself. too short for regrets through ACALA TV’s and what-ifs. His message to those in the audience was clear. promotional video “When things go bad you cannot crumble under It was a perfect production which pressure. We all have the right to dream and when evening to share generates revenue. we stop dreaming of what could be it becomes with our learners ACALA TV contracts hard to achieve that goal. We all have weaknesses and we are very experienced film and we all have strengths. My weakness was my grateful to the directors and sound struggle with literacy. Too many people want a Investors Group engineers to oversee smooth ride to the end of the goal road. Normal and Literacy production which people work hard to achieve their goals. Those Nova Scotia for ensures their work meets industry that tell you that you are incapable of reaching your this wonderful standards. goals don’t want you to succeed and are jealous opportunity. Just Jacques Demers with Marie Williamson, of those who do succeed, so don’t listen to them. when you think winner of a special autographed picture. You need to have confidence in yourself. Have a the evening could ACALA TV offers vision for your future and accept responsibility for not get any better workshops to literacy organizations and how you are to reach that vision. Do not lay blame one of our learners won an autographed picture practitioners on on others if you hit a bump in the road. Those who of Demers on the bench during his historic 1993 photography, video expect to be given things fail. You have to pay a Stanley Cup win with the Montreal Canadiens, a production and social marketing skills. They price to succeed and that price is hard work and symbolic passing of the torch from one man who welcome volunteers, particularly those with a determination.” overcame his literacy challenges to one young background in journalism, video production, or woman who is looking to overcome her own. Demers spoke passionately about his life’s documentary filmmaking. They are happy to train journey; about the people along the way who Lesley Dunn is Executive Director of the ACALATV Project Coordinator Carriff Shabala and mentor any individual willing to work hard were never afraid to provide him with an Dartmouth Literacy Network and learn.

2 7 20 Years, continued from page 5

8 1