The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading recognized Roanoke’s Star City Reads initiative with 2022–23 Pacesetter Honors. Launched in 2010, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) is a collaborative effort of funders, nonprofit partners, business leaders, government agencies, states, and communities across the nation to ensure that more children from low-income families succeed in school and graduate prepared for college, a career, and active citizenship. Since its launch, CGLR has grown to include more than 350 communities. Roanoke’s Star City Reads coalition is led by the Roanoke Public Libraries.
This year, CGLR recognized 33 communities across the country as Pacesetters for “moving the needle” in areas that impact early learning. In particular, Roanoke was honored for its work launching the Nourishing Your Baby support group for new mothers, which was recognized as an exemplary way to “equip parents to succeed as their children’s first teachers, advocates, and coaches.” The Roanoke Public Libraries held the first Nourishing Your Baby lactation support group for new mothers over the course of 12 weeks from February through Apri 2023, at the Williamson Road Branch Library. In addition, the accompanying Nourishing Your Baby videos that library staff created with RVTV were recognized as an exceptional communications tool.
