The Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center at Augusta University has been named a 2026 Georgia Reads Community Award recipient by the Georgia Council on Literacy. The award was announced at the Georgia State Capitol alongside legislative champions on March 3 and recognizes the importance of community approaches that involve meaningful partnerships in achieving literacy goals.

As part of this honor, the Harris Literacy Center will receive a $20,000 award to further strengthen its literacy initiatives and expand access to high-quality reading support for children, families and adult learners in the Augusta area. The recognition also includes statewide acknowledgment of the center’s impact and a special visit from Georgia Reads coach and former University of Georgia football standout Malcolm Mitchell.

“We are deeply honored to receive the Georgia Reads Community Award. This recognition belongs to our learners, tutors, university partners, community collaborators and supporters who work every day to ensure that literacy opens doors of opportunity for all,” said Betsy VanDeusen, PhD, director of the Harris Literacy Center.

The Harris Literacy Center, which is housed within the HUB for Community Innovation Augusta, serves as a community hub for literacy, bringing together AU faculty and students with local schools, families and nonprofit partners to provide evidence-based tutoring, arts-integrated programming, family literacy workshops and professional learning opportunities. Through strategic partnerships and a focus on measurable outcomes, the center supports early literacy development, strengthens reading achievement and promotes lifelong learning across generations.

The Georgia Reads Community Award highlights communities that demonstrate collaboration, sustained engagement and innovative approaches to improving reading outcomes. The center’s model integrates academic expertise, community voice and cross-sector partnerships to address literacy needs in meaningful and sustainable ways.

“We were thrilled to learn about the Harris Literacy Center’s recent award. Our center has been providing services since 1990 and has positively impacted thousands of children, adolescents and adults,” said Judi Wilson, EdD, dean of AU’s College of Education and Human Development. “We so appreciate the leadership of Dr. Betsy VanDeusen. In her role as director, she has truly taken the center to new heights, and this award is a testimony to the strong leadership she has provided.”

For more information, email the Harris Literacy Center.