Dedicated literacy leader is ‘role model to many’
Province honours Marilyn Stearns with Council of the Federation Literacy Award
Monday was a red-letter day for literacy leader Marilyn Stearns.
Education Minister Bronwyn Eyre presented Stearns with the prestigious 2017 Council of the Federation Literacy Award at a ceremony at the Legislative Building to recognize her immense efforts in promoting family literacy development across the province.
Established in 2014 by Canada’s premiers, the award is given to one resident in each province to celebrate those who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to literacy. In Saskatchewan, the award is rotated between literacy learners, literacy volunteers and literacy leaders.
“Marilyn is a passionate family literacy teacher and leader who has contributed to building and strengthening family literacy development in Saskatchewan and in Canada,” Eyre said.
She noted Stearns has led many significant projects to promote family and community literacy in the province.
“A role model to many, Marilyn is a lifelong learner who continues to find innovative ways to mentor new family literacy practitioners and to provide support to families, schools, libraries and community organizations,” Eyre said.
Stearns’ passion for literacy began when she started volunteering to help young readers learn the ABCs at her children’s school.
Volunteering in the reading program opened many doors for her.
“I was asked by a school if I would consider taking Come Read With Me training, which is Saskatchewan Literacy Network training,” Stearns said.
After accepting, she went on to run family literacy training for the network.
“I saw it as a real learning opportunity for me and I became instantly passionate about family literacy,” Stearns said.
For more than 10 years, through her work at the Saskatchewan Literacy Network, she has travelled thousands of kilometres throughout the province to provide family literacy workshops and innovative programs, such as the Prenatal Learning Circle.
“We truly believe that literacy begins before a child is ever born — with the parents’ literacy skills and the family who surrounds that child,” Stearns said. “There’s never too early a time to begin literacy skills.”
Practising literacy skills involves more than just reading — it can be reinforced in everyday tasks such as measuring ingredients for a recipe or counting out change at a grocery store, Stearns said.
“There’s opportunities to weave literacy into everyday activities that make it very doable,” she said.
Stearns continues to nurture the love of literacy in her family, which now includes six grandchildren.
“As society gains literacy skills, we all benefit in improved school outcomes, in improved health outcomes, in improved opportunities for jobs and the economy,” Stearns said.
“I just see it as a benefit for everyone.”