Lehigh Valley Reads is recognized for work in supporting early school success 

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA. – TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2022 – The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) announced Lehigh Valley Reads as one of 22 nationally recognized communities as Pacesetter finalists for exemplifying extraordinary vision and best practices for their 2021–22 efforts. All communities chosen as finalists (including Lehigh Valley Reads) were deemed as making significant observable progress in the following  seven “Must Do Priorities” for Early School Success:

• Stop playing catch-up
• End chronic absence
• Reverse the summer slide
• Address health-related challenges
• Equip parents to succeed
• Advance grade-level reading and math
• Slow learning loss and accelerate equitable learning recovery

“Lehigh Valley Reads is honored to be recognized nationally once again for the work we are doing that directly impacts children and families. With the amount of amazing work going on across the nation, we are humbled that The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has seen our progress. We hope to continue building out an infrastructure geared toward continuing to foster change,” said Angela Zanelli, Campaign Director for Lehigh Valley Reads.

CGLR is a collaborative effort by funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states and communities to ensure that more children in low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. CGLR focuses on promoting early school success as an important building block of more hopeful futures for children in economically challenged families and communities.

“These Pacesetter finalists really stand out for the ways in which they bring to life the seven ‘must do’ priorities we’ve identified as important for early school success. Congratulations to them for this achievement. We are confident that our entire network will learn from their example,” says Ralph Smith, managing director of CGLR.

About Lehigh Valley Public Media 

Lehigh Valley Public Media is a community-owned public media organization serving Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey. Headquartered on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, PA, Lehigh Valley Public Media is home to PBS39 – the Lehigh Valley’s public television station, 91.3 WLVR – the Lehigh Valley’s all day every day NPR news station and Lehigh Valley Reads, our local literacy campaign.

About the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Since its launch in 2012, the GLR Communities Network has grown to include more than 350 communities, representing 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two Canadian provinces — sponsored by 5,200+ local organizations, institutions and agencies and supported by 500+ state and local funders, including 200+ United Ways. To learn more, visit gradelevelreading.net and follow the movement on Twitter @readingby3rd.

Lehigh Valley Reads is a grade level reading campaign powered by PBS39 and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Our mission is to get every Lehigh Valley student reading on grade level by the end of third grade by 2025.

Information provided to TVL by:
AJ Suero
Director of Communications
PBS39 & 91.3 WLVR
https://www.wlvt.org/

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