WALWORTH COUNTY LITERACY COUNCIL
Elkhorn, WI
Website | Phone: (262) 475-9180
Mission
Walworth County Literacy Council educates and partners with adult learners to reach their literacy goals, thereby empowering themselves, their families and communities. By empowering Walworth County adults through literacy, we envision a future where every person in our community has the literacy skills to unlock opportunities, strengthen families and advance the collective growth of our community.
Community Resources
WCLC adult students meet, one-on-one paired with a volunteer tutor, in small classes, English conversation groups or workplace classes. Some students may receive more than one service. Tutoring takes place at any of the 10 public county libraries or virtually.
LITERACY SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Adult Basic Education (ABE): Offering support in reading, writing, and math to help individuals improve their literacy skills.
• English as a Second Language (ESL): Assisting adults in learning to speak, read, and write English effectively.
• U.S. Citizenship Preparation: Helping individuals prepare for the naturalization test and interview.
• General Education Diploma (GED): Supporting students in their preparation for the GED examination.
WCLC has many success stories to share, Whitney’s is an especially exciting one:
Whitney was born with a debilitating illness that resulted in a disrupted formal education due to frequent hospital stays. Fortunately, with the help of new medications, her health has significantly improved. She was able to secure a job but soon realized that a high school diploma was necessary for potential promotion. Determined to achieve her goal, Whitney passed all the GED subject tests except for math. After two years of attempting to conquer the math test on her own, she grew frustrated and overwhelmed. Whitney was then paired with a tutor from WCLC, who helped her improve her math skills, build confidence, and ultimately earn her GED. Equipped with newfound problem-solving skills, she scheduled an interview with the corporate office for a promotion and felt more self-assured than ever. Whitney’s hard work paid off—she received the promotion and is now a manager at her company. This determined woman is already setting her sights on her next goal: enrolling in an undergraduate college program.
Most Urgent Need
Key Demographics and Challenges in Walworth County:
• Rural community challenges include limited access to transportation, education, and employment opportunities.
• 16% of adults lack basic literacy skills (Source: National Center for Education Statistics).
• 16,000 residents need literacy education (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).
• 9% of adults do not have a high school credential (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).
• 11.5% of county residents are Hispanic or Latino (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).
• 10% live below the federal poverty level, earning less than $32,130 for a family of four (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024).
• 24% fall into the ALICE (Assets Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) category, essentially the working poor (Source: ALICE Report 2020, United Way).
• 60% of WCLC students are estimated to fall into the ALICE category.
The need for WCLC services is staggering. With a recent 23 student wait list, funding for student assessment, volunteer recruitment, student/tutor matching and management is vital. WCLC is grateful for its dedicated 85 volunteers and funding solely obtained from small grants, private donations and fundraising events. Additional funding will allow WCLC to continue meeting the literacy needs of the community while empowering individuals to achieve their educational and personal goals.
