Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading 2019 Pacesetter Honors

As a driving force of innovation, impact, and improvement in its work to support early school success, the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has received six 2019 Pacesetter Honors in five categories from the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Three of these honors were awarded in July, and an additional three at the end of September.

Each year, the national Campaign uses its Pacesetter Honors to highlight communities that make measurable progress on key indicators of early school success: early literacy and school readiness; addressing chronic absence and its effects on reading progress; and mitigating summer learning loss by connecting children with quality educational opportunities and programs. The Suncoast Campaign, which represents aligned efforts in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota counties, has received Pacesetter Honors every year since 2014.

The 2019 Pacesetter honors received by the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading are:

2019 Pacesetter Honor: Big Tent Collaboration for Communication, a regional effort
2019 Pacesetter Honor: Philanthropic Engagement and Leadership for Attending to Students' Mental Health Needs, led by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County
2019 Pacesetter Honor: Driving with Data, a regional effort
2019 Pacesetter Honor: Parent Success Increasing Children's Success by Supporting Parents' Aspirations led by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County
2019 Pacesetter Honor: Parent Success: Soaring Above Poverty and Isolation led by the School District of Manatee County
2019 Pacesetter Honor: Summer and After School: Suncoast Summer Reading Challenge, a regional effort

As part of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, each county has a lead agency working on county-specific work, with The Patterson Foundation supporting initiatives and projects that can take place regionally.

"The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is honored to receive multiple Pacesetter recognitions within the vast network of communities working to enhance early learning efforts and improve third-grade reading proficiency," said Beth Duda, director of the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading for The Patterson Foundation. "The regional approach we take to this work allows us to accelerate progress and impact. We are grateful to our community partners and salute all of the active and engaged members of our four-county region who strengthen the work taking place in our communities. These Honors are a testament to our work's collaborative nature and everyone who puts their hearts and heads behind it. During the challenging times we find ourselves in, the continuation of the important work of supporting the success of the children and families in our region is critical. We will continue to innovate, strengthen connections, and take a regional approach to continuous improvement."