The Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties, Inc. named Jenny Walker as the new
Executive Director. Richard Seymour, who previously held the role, has retired. Walker, who started in the new position last month, said she is thrilled about the work that the Literacy Council does for Texarkana.
“Education is so powerful,” Walker said. “At the Literacy Council, we have the opportunity to give people the tools and resources they need in order to change the course of their lives. I cannot think of a better way to serve our community.”
In her first month, Walker has already worked to bring some positive change to the Council, including moving the organization to a new location – 4014 Summerhill Road in the Summerhill Square shopping center.
“We have just settled into our new location,” Walker said. “When we had to cancel our Spelling Bee because of COVID-19 in the spring, we had to find a way to make up for some of the money we were unable to raise. The easiest way was to downsize. We lost a lot of square footage in the move, but the savings can be invested into our programs, and I am really excited about that.”
Walker added, “This location is more centrally located; We serve students on both sides of State Line, so we wanted somewhere that was easily accessible. Also, we are expanding programs in the fall to include some after-school classes for teens, so this is a great location for Texas High and Middle School students. Of course, the Literacy Council is open to students from any school district.”
These new programs include an expansion of the existing adult education classes and also the addition of some new programs for teens and children. Some programs starting in the fall that may interest folks of any age would be the free ACT prep classes and Spanish language classes. For a full list of classes and to register, visit www.literacytxk.org. All of the classes and activities at the Literacy Council are free, but registration is required so that they can practice social distancing.
Walker brings almost 20 years of experience in education, serving in elementary, secondary, and higher education teaching positions. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Education Leadership at Texas A&M University – Texarkana. She earned a master’s degree in Education Administration from TAMUT and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from the University of North Texas. Walker, a Texarkana native, is a graduate of Liberty-Eylau High School.
For more information about the Literacy Council, contact Walker at (903) 255-7733 or email jenny@literacytxk.org.
