Life-Changing Initiatives Turn 10 Years Old in Jackson County

For over 10 years, our county has rallied around our youth through the Jackson County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Vision To Learn. Thanks to grant and donor funding, educator expertise, and nonprofits’ hard work, these Community Foundation initiatives have helped hundreds of children learn and develop.

“Caring for the next generation is a shared value that truly brings people in our  community together,” says Lori Loch, the Community Foundation’s executive director. “When our children thrive, our community thrives.” Each year, the Vision To Learn mobile clinic visits Jackson County schools providing free eye exams, helping children overcome a major barrier to learning: The ability to see clearly. Over 1,000 students have received eye exams, and nearly 900 have received glasses – all at no cost to families or schools.

At the same time, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading helps children read proficiently by the end of third grade, a key predictor of high school graduation. One way is by ensuring children have access to books, which is why it has distributed 13,300 free books to date.

Another is by providing access to summer learning. The Campaign’s Summer Adventure program, a partnership with school districts and nonprofits, is an annual tradition for many families, providing opportunities for fun that also help stem learning loss when children aren’t in school.

“I’m impressed with the support from the top down for Summer Adventure,” says Campaign Coordinator Joanne Evans. “Communities here in Jackson County count on it each year.” To date, Summer Adventure has provided full-day learning with hands-on, enriching activities at four sites for over 1,400 children. An average of 68% of participants maintain or gain on reading benchmarks.

“We prioritize students who need that extra bridge to prevent summer learning loss,” says Bellevue Principal Jeanette Hartung Schroeder. “Families really appreciate having a program that supports learning while also meeting child care needs.”