BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — A Baton Rouge man who spent 25 years in a high school classroom now spends his days in a different teaching environment. Through his role with the Adult Literacy Advocates, he teaches adults how to read, write and do basic math.

“For a lot of them, it’s a major step for them to do it,” said Gary Robertson, the executive director for the nonprofit. “And In some cases, it takes every bit of courage they have.”

Louisiana is one of the worst states for literacy, according to companies that track the data, like Wisevoter. Many adults have become experts at hiding the fact that they are not literate, Robertson said.

“A lot of our students have come up with just amazing coping mechanisms, which tells you there’s nothing wrong with their intellect,” Robertson said.

Robertson said teachers with the group do one-on-one sessions or classes during the week, and it is a free service.

“There are no fees involved,” Robertson said. “They just need to give us a call. They can find us on our website. “

Robertson said he loves helping adults become better versions of theirselves, and he called this the most rewarding part of his career.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

BRProud Daily News

“In other circumstances, our paths probably would never have crossed,” Robertson said. “We would’ve never gotten to know each other and that’s been particularly rewarding.”

Latest news

• Rapper Killer Mike detained by police at the Grammy Awards after collecting 3 trophies
• PHOTOS: Celebs grace the wild-and-wacky Grammys red carpet
• Here’s what’s in the Senate’s border security deal
• Mid City Gras hits the streets of the capital city
• Senate negotiators unveil long-sought border deal

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com.