All-America City projects: Richmond, Ind., gets schoolchildren past third-grade reading
June 10, 2009 at 5:00 am by Wayne Garcia
Third graders at a museum as part of the Reading Academy. (photo: pal-item.com)
The National Civic League’s 2009 All-America City Awards conference convenes in Tampa next week. Here is another look at one of the 30 nominees that will present their best civic projects, Richmond, Ind.:
Richmond, Indiana
The Third Grade Reading AcademyMotivated by the Wayne County Learning Corporation’s Education Summit of October, 2007, the entire community set out to address the 30% high school drop out rate by raising third-grade reading levels. This community explored two approaches: one adult-centered, the other led by youth. Adult-centered response: Two local business people began and, with the help of over two hundred community contributors and volunteers, raised $150,000 and conducted the first Third Grade Reading Academy. During the summer of 2008, a four-week intervention reading program was developed to generate an interest and enthusiasm for reading and to involve key local institutions. Of the 145 eligible students who had not passed their ISTEP (the state’s) Language Arts test, 118 participated and raised their scores by 50%. Youth-centered response: The youth believe that the key to addressing drop outs is to motivate through interactive activities inside and out of school, and cite three efforts. My Will is a weekly group meeting of up to 30 high school girls to address personal problems and support each other. Stage One is Richmond Civic Theatre’s youth theatre involving 250 youth in up to three productions each year. The net benefit is personal development and increased civic/community engagement. Civic Hall is a 936 seat performing arts venue owned and operated by Richmond Community Schools providing “wonderful opportunities for students to perform in a professional setting.”
Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman is the president of the National Civic League this year and a big proponent of these kinds of partnership projects. During her tenure, in 1990, Tampa was named an All-America City. Creative Loafing CEO Ben Eason is also involved, as a member of the Host Committee.
Thirty cities, towns, neighborhoods and communities are vying for recognition as an All-America City at the June 16-18 conference at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. Each will give a short presentation on three public-private civic projects they undertook before a panel of judges names the best. Tampa is one of the finalists.
