Local University Student Named to International 30 Under 30 List

NEWARK, Del. (Sept. 1, 2016) – The International Literacy Association (ILA), a global advocacy and membership organization dedicated to advancing literacy for all, announced Ashlyn Kemp, a senior at Longwood University in Farmville, VA, today as an honoree on its second annual 30 Under 30 list. The list recognizes the next generation of young innovators, advocates and educators who are leading efforts to advance literacy for all, whether in their community or around the world.

Kemp, 22, was selected for her unique contribution to advancing literacy within her community and the world. She is promoting literacy through her research work on teachers' attitudes toward grammar instruction and the impact on student learning. She presented her research findings at the 2015 NCTE Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar and will again this fall. Her work was also published in the August issue of ATEG Journal, the assembly's peer-reviewed journal. Kemp's research was inspired by professor Sean Ruday's enthusiasm for the topic. She has applied his approach in the field while teaching high-need middle schoolers at the tuition-free Breakthrough academic enrichment program during the last two summers.

“The work of Ashlyn is closely intertwined with our mission to transform lives through literacy, so we are thrilled to welcome her to our growing list of 30 Under 30 honorees,” said Marcie Craig Post, executive director, International Literacy Association. “Today, there are still 781 million people around the world who can’t read or write, 126 million of whom are youth. This list highlights the next class of leaders who are taking steps to advance literacy and helping us reverse those alarming statistics.”

This year’s ILA 30 Under 30 list highlights rising leaders from 12 countries and several sectors. It includes nonprofit leaders, classroom teachers, authors, volunteers, researchers, and social entrepreneurs, each of whom has created and implemented an initiative that has directly improved the quality of literacy instruction or increased access to literacy tools in the classroom, community and/or online.

ILA’s 30 Under 30 honorees are featured in the September/October issue of Literacy Today, ILA’s bi-monthly magazine, which published today. ILA will continue to highlight the inspiring work of the honorees throughout the year. They will also be invited to participate in upcoming global literacy community activities that support the shared cause of advancing literacy for all.

To view the Literacy Today feature and the full list of honorees, visit literacyworldwide.org/30under30.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION

The International Literacy Association (ILA), formerly known as the International Reading Association, is a global advocacy and membership organization dedicated to advancing literacy for all through its network of more than 300,000 literacy educators, researchers and experts across 75 countries. With 60 years of experience in the field, ILA believes in the transformative power of literacy to create more successful societies, healthy communities and prosperous economies. ILA collaborates with partners across the world to develop, gather and disseminate high-quality resources, best practices and cutting-edge research to empower educators, inspire students and inform policymakers. The International Literacy Association publishes several peer-reviewed journals, including The Reading Teacher, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy and Reading Research Quarterly. For more information, visit literacyworldwide.org.

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