Selassie Tay Named To International Literacy Association’s Inaugural 30 Under 30 List

NEWARK, Del. (Sept. 1, 2015) – The International Literacy Association (ILA), a global advocacy and membership organization dedicated to advancing literacy for all, announced Selassie Tay, Tongu Youth Agenda for Development from Accra, Ghana, today as an honoree named to its inaugural 30 Under 30 list.

The list recognizes the next generation of young innovators, advocates and educators who are leading efforts to address the challenges of today’s evolving education landscape and make a difference in the global literacy landscape.

Selassie Tay was selected for his unique contribution to the fight against global illiteracy and within his community. Selassie Tay is promoting literacy through Tongu Youth Agenda for Development (TYAD); a community based youth-led non-governmental organization he founded that is dedicated to developing and empowering the youth with focus on education, entrepreneurship and health.

TYAD has reached 500 senior high school seniors with their “adanu” program, a career and academic counseling and mentoring program. They have also taught primary pupils in rural areas reading and math through their library on wheel program that also uses creative and performing arts.

“I am proud to recognize Selassie Tay, who is part of a new generation of champions playing a critical role in the future of literacy around the world,” said Marcie Craig Post, executive director, International Literacy Association. “Today, an astounding 12 percent of the global population is unable to read or write. These 30 young education champions are developing new, creative strategies to close the literacy gap and, in the process, are transforming lives in their communities and around the world.”

ILA’s 30 Under 30 list highlights young trailblazers from 13 countries and several different sectors and includes nonprofit leaders, classroom teachers, authors, volunteers, researchers, technology startup founders and entrepreneurs. Each honoree has created and implemented an initiative that has directly improved the quality of literacy instruction or that 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. The honorees will 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, visit literacyworldwide.org/30under30.

To view 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 .