Your Support of UWGT Leads Community to Fourth Pacesetter
Partners in the Shawnee County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading collaborated with the annual Lights On After School day to celebrate the community's fourth national Pacesetter award for progress in elementary education. Click to see WIBW's coverage of the event.
Community members, educators, and local leaders and decision-makers joined the Shawnee County Campaign for Grade- Level Reading (SNCO-CGLR) at the Kansas Capitol on Wednesday, October 23rd to “Shine a Light on School Success”. This event celebrated SNCO-CGLR’s fourth Pacesetter honor for making measurable progress in education and recognized the multiple sectors that impact school success in Shawnee County.
The event was held in conjunction with "Lights on Afterschool," a national advocacy day promoting the positive impact of out-of-school (before, after, and summer) programming. Speakers representing a variety of sectors shared the impact of out-of-school programming for our schools, community, safety, and workforce. Representative Dr. Brenda Dietrich closed out the event sharing her reflection as a retired Superintendent and current Legislator.
“There were 10 different organizations speaking at this event, a very intentional design,” said Jillian Fisher, former Community Lead for Shawnee County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. “We were recognized nationally for cross-sector collaboration and working together as a community in reducing the achievement gap and ensuring our students are successful. It only makes sense that we celebrate the same way.”
The Pacesetter Honor highlights communities making measurable progress on key indicators of early school success and building brighter futures for children. These communities serve as proof points and represent the “leading edge” of innovation, impact and improvement within the national Grade-Level Reading Network, currently comprised of over 400 communities. This year SNCO-CGLR was one of 38 communities to receive this honor.
SNCO-CGLR is comprised of more than 20 cross-sector organizations committed to student success. Led by United Way of Greater Topeka (UWGT), the local campaign was revitalized in 2016 and continued to strengthen collaboration and align promising programs in 2017 and 2018. This is the third consecutive year the local campaign has been recognized for eliminating barriers faced by children from low-income families on the path to becoming proficient readers.
Complete list of Speakers
- Jillian Fisher, United Way of Greater Topeka
- Michael Lemon, Kansas Enrichment Network
- Melissa Mosher, Christ the King Early Education Center
- Kathleen Marker, YWCA of NE Kansas
- Veronica Byrd, Topeka Public Schools Parents as Teachers
- Marlou Wegener, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
- Christina Ostmeyer, Kansas Appleseed
- Marie Pyko, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
- Nicole Johnson, Topeka Public Schools Meadows Elementary
- Representative Dr. Brenda Dietrich, House Representative, Former Superintendent USD 437 -
- Brandy Tofel, Communities In Schools
