News release

Antigonish Resident Receives National Literacy Award

Premier's Office

As part of International Literacy Day today, September 8, the Council of the Federation is recognizing Andrew Chacko of Antigonish as the Nova Scotia recipient of its literacy award for his leadership, resilience and dedication to literacy and American Sign Language (ASL).

“Andrew’s commitment to not only learn ASL to connect with others, but then to be at the forefront of his community’s ASL program, is truly inspiring,” said Premier Tim Houston. “I admire his leadership as he continuously dedicates his time to make his community more connected and inclusive.”

Born without hearing, Mr. Chacko grew up in India and came to Canada in 2008. While he knew Indian Sign Language and could read and write short English phrases, he had trouble settling into Canadian life and connecting with others due to communication challenges.

In 2015, Mr. Chacko moved to Nova Scotia and settled in Antigonish. He joined the Antigonish County Adult Learning Association to improve his reading and writing skills to better connect with others and boost his employment opportunities.

Despite many challenges, Mr. Chacko was motivated to learn ASL and quickly reached an intermediate level. Together with other students and instructors, they met biweekly to study and practice ASL, starting an ever-growing group of ASL learners in Antigonish with Mr. Chacko at the centre.

In addition to helping run ASL tutorials, Mr. Chacko does cleaning, gardening, and outdoor maintenance for the Town of Antigonish and local community groups.

The Council of the Federation Literacy Award is presented annually to adult learners who demonstrate outstanding achievements in literacy and make a significant contribution to their school, workplace or community. Mr. Chacko was nominated by the Antigonish County Adult Learning Association.

Quotes:

“I continue to volunteer at ACALA with ASL classes. The more people who know sign language, the more people like me, who need sign language to communicate, can make friends and have better opportunities.”

– Andrew Chacko, recipient, Council of the Federation Literacy Award

“Andrew faced many challenges in adapting to project requirements and group work, but he was never deterred. Andrew has become a very important part of our organization and his time at ACALA has made us all stronger in being able to reach out to others and adapt and find ways of getting everyone involved.”

– Andrew Stalker, Essential Skills, Employment and Community Engagement Instructor, Antigonish County Adult Learning Association

Quick Facts:

  • International Literacy Day is celebrated annually on September 8
  • the Council of the Federation Literacy Award was established in 2004 and provides 13 awards annually, one for each province and territory

Additional Resources:

To learn more about the Council of the Federation Literacy Award, visit: https://novascotia.ca/lae/cof-literacy-award.asp

For more information about Nova Scotia adult learning, visit: https://novascotia.ca/adult-learning/

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