May 7, 2009 ... Approximately 80 people attended the 2009 National Adult Learner Leadership Institute and Literacy Congress, May 3-5 in New Carrollton, Maryland. Cohosted this year by ProLiteracy , this was VALUE's sixth biennial Institute.

Institute participants attended leadership training workshops and took part in simulated Congressional hearings that explored recommendations made by the National Commission on Adult Literacy. Throughout this conference, participants had time to network with fellow adult learner leaders and share promising practices to improve learner involvement in their programs back home.

On the evening of May 4th -- during a banquet sponsored by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation -- Pat Williams, an adult learner leader from Hudson, Florida was presented with the 2009 Susan Green Award. This award recognizes an outstanding adult learner leader who, like Susan Green, sees the best in other people, reaches out to help others, and is a leader in adult literacy.

On the last day of the Institute, participants went to Capitol Hill to attend an official hearing on adult literacy held by Rep. Hinojosa's Education and Labor subcommittee. VALUE's Executive Director, Marty Finsterbusch was one of the witnesses who testified at this hearing. Institute participants also talked about the importance of adult literacy with their Senators and Representatives and staff.

Attendance at this year's Institute was less than half of what organizers had hoped for. In part, this was due to the current economic downturn affecting everyone and literacy programs around the country. Low attendance was also due in part to an advisory issued by the U.S. Department of Education and distributed by the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education incorrectly asserting that this Institute was a lobbying activity for which it was illegal to use federal funding. Given the hypersensitivity of many programs to running afoul of the IRS over lobbying, this advisory dampened attendance at this Institute.