VALDOSTA — Area organizations are encouraging everyone to read.

Valdosta Technical College, along with the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, will be bringing the importance of literacy and adult education to the masses through various activities and programs.

International Literacy Day is Sept. 8. To coincide with that celebration, the Technical College System of Georgia and Office of Adult Education have organized the Literacy Awareness Competition for Service Delivery Areas (SDA).

While the winning SDA will receive state-wide recognition, the true purpose of the program is to promote literacy and adult education, Alvin Payton Jr. Director of the Adult Education Program said.

The SDA for the Adult Education Program, a Valdosta Technical College entity, covers Lowndes and the surrounding counties.

The competition will help promote adult education, General Educational Development (GED) testing and Certified Literate Community programs in Georgia. The competition is currently underway and will end on Oct. 1. The SDAs will be divided up into three groups — small, medium and large.

The SDAs earn points by performing in different categories that the TCSG and OAE have developed. The VTC Adult Education service is considered a medium SDA.

The winning SDA from each category will be announced at the Fall Literacy Institute in October. A grand prize drawing between the three will have the winner recognized during a special event sponsored by TCSG in the winning community on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Valdosta resident Lynnette M. Adams realized she needed to continue her education after struggling to help her middle school-aged children with their homework.

“I knew then I needed to do something to keep them encouraged,” Adams said.

She enrolled in classes at the VTC East Campus to begin working towards her GED. While in high school, Adams said she became a teenage mother. The added pressure of providing for a baby forced her to quit school.

Taking courses in math and reading, Adams had to force herself to enjoy math, and the challenge to succeed motivated her, she said.

“Each time I took the GED and failed, I told myself I would definitely get it next time,” Adams said.

Dogged determination and a positive attitude helped Adam achieve her goal in January of 2007, a mere 10 months after beginning courses at VTC.

“I knew my life course was set before I got my GED,” Adams said. “I had no options and I wanted to change that.”