Award-winning Author Visits WKCTC March 27

Shares Insights on Kindness, Self-Acceptance and Life with a Stutter

PADUCAH, KY (03/16/2017) — More than 70 million people worldwide stutter and the communication disorder affects over 3 million people in the United States according to The Stuttering Foundation of America.

Author Vince Vawter will visit West Kentucky Community and Technical College for a free presentation to discuss how stuttering affects the main character in his national award-winning book Paperboy March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Crounse Hall, Room 101.

“Many of us know someone who stutters and how difficult it can be sometimes to help them feel confident about themselves and to speak freely,” said Kim Russell, WKCTC English program coordinator and event coordinator. “Paperboy not only sheds light on this powerful theme, but also opens the reader to a young boy’s feelings of being different and isolated, facing bullies and confronting racism.”

Winner of the Newbery Honor Award, Amazon’s Best Reads of 2013: Ages 9-12 and many other awards, Paperboy tells the story of Victor Vollmer, an 11-year-old boy living in Memphis in 1959, can barely say a word without stuttering, not even his own name. When he takes over his best friend’s paper route, he is forced to communicate with customers, just one of the many difficult challenges and struggles he has to face.

Vawter, a native of Memphis and retired after a 40-year career in newspapers, shares his somewhat autobiographical story with Paperboy reflecting his own speech impediment he has had since childhood.

Jane Fraser, president of The Stuttering Foundation of America said “Paperboy offers a penetrating look at both the mystery and the daily frustrations of stuttering. People of all ages will appreciate this positive and universal story as I did, but it will be particularly meaningful to anyone who has ever struggled with stuttering.”

Vawter’s passion for outreach and education is a driving force behind why he continues share his message of understanding and kindness with communities, said Russell.

For more information about Vawter’s free presentation at WKCTC, contact Kim Russell at kim.russell@kctcs.edu or (270) 534-3203.

 

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West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) has been recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 10 Community College each of the four times the Prize has been awarded by the Aspen Institute and has twice been named a Finalist With Distinction for providing students with strong job training and continuing higher education opportunity, for achieving high completion and transfer rates, and for providing strong employment results for its graduates.

 

 

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