Bridge Awards

2010 Bridge Awards Presented by Verizon Communications

April 14, 2010
11:30 a.m.
Renaissance Worthington Hotel
200 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX
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Nominations

Eligibility Requirements
Awards are given in three different categories: individual, literacy provider and corporate. Any person(s), literacy provider, organization, or corporation that has made recent significant contributions during 2009 to improving literacy in North Texas is eligible.

Who Can Make Nominations?
Anyone interested in improving literacy in North Texas.

How Do I Nominate?
Submit your nomination using either the online form or print the form and mail or fax your submission.

Selection Criteria
Nominees will reviewed by the selection committee and award recipients will be selected based on their recent contributions to literacy advocacy for citizens and communities in North Texas.

Nomination Deadline: (Please note the date has changed)
Nominations must be postmarked or received no later than February 12, 2010.

If you have any questions, please contact Valerie Hodges at 972-621-0400 or valerie@ntc-dfw.org.

2009 Award Recipients

Individual Advocate:

J.R. Labbe, Editorial Page Editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram . As one of Fort Worth’s “community assets,” Ms. Labbe has worked tirelessly promoting adult literacy with the Rotary Club of Fort Worth and by serving on the Adult Literacy Advisory Board of the United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County and was the first president of the Tarrant Literacy Coalition.

John and Rosetta Walz, Coordinators for English Equals Opportunit y. The Walzes have coordinated the McKinney Public Library System’s program for the past three and a half years with 75 students per semester participating.

Community Advocate:

Literacy Instruction for Texas (LIFT) . In a 12 month period ending in January 2009, LIFT served more than 8,000 adults in its classes. In addition, the program provides GED training in 13 North Texas locations with more than 700 low literate adults participating.

Rotary Club of Fort Worth . The Rotary Club of Fort Worth has adopted adult literacy as its major issue. To support this, the club sponsored the first Tarrant County Corporate Spelling Bee supporting the Tarrant Literacy Coalition, and members of the club are currently planning a Workforce Literacy Economic Summit.

Corporate Advocate:

Chesapeake Energy Corporation . Since 2004, Chesapeake Energy has been an active member of the Tarrant County community supporting numerous programs that aim to increase adult literacy. Some of the ways that Chesapeake has contributed to literacy include supporting the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, Literacy for Life, the Rotary Club of Fort Worth Corporate Spelling Bee and the Forest Hill Public Library to name a few.

Verizon. With David Russell’s vision, the Verizon Foundation’s nationwide advocacy of literacy was brought to the forefront of regional issues supported by the North Texas Future Fund. Verizon provides Thinkfinity, a free program that offers literacy distance learning. In North Texas, Verizon has donated leadership and resources to various organizations; and encourages employee volunteerism to combat the growing literacy problem in the region.