Honorees share the power of literacy at fifth annual DCLC gala
‘Champion’ tells how he turned his life around
CHESTER » “I no longer sell the products killing our society … I am a working, productive citizen who wakes up every day to make my world a better place.”
Those were the words of Kevin Morgan as he accepted his Champion of Adult Literacy award from the Delaware County Literacy Council recently.
Morgan shared his dramatic story of transformation at the fifth annual Champions of Adult Literacy Fundraiser held by the Literacy Council Oct. 25 at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack.
Morgan described his “toxic lifestyle” of selling drugs, which led to a felony conviction and time in prison.
“Can you imagine how this story ends?” he asked those attending the event. But the story took a new direction as Morgan made the brave choice to turn his life around. “My role models shifted from street thugs to men who were leaders through positive actions,” he said.
Morgan studied for and earned his GED with the help of DCLC, which further changed his life: “Education helped me move and think differently about life decisions I once made.”
Morgan’s journey was just one of the highlights of the 2017 Champions of Adult Literacy, held in The Block Entertainment Center at Harrah’s in Chester.
Filmmaker Jamal Hill was honored as a Hometown Hero Champion for his inspiring and successful career in movies. Hill, who attended Penn Wood High School in Delaware County, said that watching Denzel Washington receive an Academy Award motivated him to get into films. He wanted first to be an actor but eventually found he had a gift for working behind the scenes in film. He has written and directed the films “Brotherly Love” and “Deuces,” and has worked on films such as “Hancock” and “I Am Legend.”
When asked about the role of literacy in his work, Hill said “Without writing, there is no story. Without writing, there is no Hollywood.”
Harrah’s Philadelphia was honored as the 2017 Community Champion for the many ways it supports the work of the Literacy Council. Harrah’s Vice President and General Manager Chris Albrecht accepted the award and described how inspired he is by the adult students who study with DCLC.
All who attended the event competed in a friendly game of Quizzo team trivia, answering questions related to the three honored champions. Joe McGilvery served as the evening’s quizmaster. A team that included several DCLC Volunteer Literacy Tutors took home the grand prize, winning a “bragging rights” trophy and a basket full of author-signed books.
The Champions of Adult Literacy Fundraiser was made possible by several generous sponsors, including lead sponsors Harrah’s Philadelphia and Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union.
DCLC has been providing free literacy instruction to Delaware County adults for more than 40 years. GED preparation, basic skill improvement, and English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction are offered through classes, small groups, or one-on-one tutoring with a literacy volunteer. To learn more or to get involved, visit www.delcoliteracy.org