The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (GLR Campaign) recently announced that Tahoe Truckee is one of 27 communities across the nation poised to receive the coveted All-America City Award, a recognition created 67 years ago by the National Civic League. This year, the League is working together with the GLR Campaign to recognize communities that have made measurable progress for low-income children on the key drivers of early reading success — school readiness, school attendance, summer learning and grade-level reading. Tahoe Truckee is recognized as a finalist for its work with the Tahoe Truckee Reads literacy campaign.
“Recognizing these communities as All-America Cities is our way of applauding the civic leaders, nonprofit organizations and agencies, and corporations that have joined forces to build brighter futures for the children in their communities,” said Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. “We are proud of these communities for answering the call and going above and beyond to ensure more hopeful futures for our nation’s most vulnerable children.”
This year’s AAC Award finalists represent the diversity of American communities from large urban centers to rural communities. Finalists will travel to Denver, Colo., June 14-16, during Grade-Level Reading Week and share their work with peers and participate in the event’s learning opportunities.
AAC Award winners in 2017 will be communities that:
- Demonstrate they have moved the needle on outcomes for low-income children in at least two of the following community solutions areas: school readiness, school attendance, summer learning and/or grade-level reading.
- Address the National Civic League’s key process criteria of civic engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusiveness.
“We are honored to collaborate with the GLR Campaign in the All-America Cities program this year,” said Doug Linkhart, president of the National Civic League. “These cities are demonstrating that they can draw on the strength of their communities by harnessing the commitment of local residents, nonprofits, and businesses to make a difference in the lives of their young people.”
Tahoe-Truckee previously received the 2012 “All-America City Award” for its plan to improve grade-level reading. Each year, 2013-2016, Tahoe-Truckee has been recognized as a “Pacesetter” community for producing measurable results toward campaign goals.
"Through many collaborative efforts tied to Tahoe Truckee Reads, our community is working to provide its children with the tools needed to be successful readers,” said Laura Brown, executive director of Excellence in Education and lead for Tahoe Truckee Reads. “I am proud of the progress we have made.”
The Tahoe Truckee Reads literacy campaign was established in 2011 as a partnership between the Excellence in Education Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Community Collaborative of Tahoe Truckee, Placer and Nevada County First 5, Placer and Nevada County Health and Human Services, and other nonprofits.
The goal of Tahoe Truckee Reads is to ensure that all children are reading proficiently by the end of third-grade. For more information, visit www.TahoeTruckeeReads.org.
All-America City Award recipients will be announced and honored on June 16.