I am pleased and honored to announce that Open Meadow’s STEP UP program has been recognized by the Pew Partnership with its 2007 Civic Change Award.  The annual award goes to individuals and organizations that are changing communities and the people who live in them in profound ways.  It puts us in the company of previous winners like the National League of Women’s Voters and the Governor of the State of Mississippi.  Please see the announcement on the Pew website.

“Because of our emphasis on getting all eighth graders ready for high school in the Pew Partnership’s Learning to Finish campaign, STEP UP is a model for all communities—large and small—on how to get involved and make a difference, “ said, Alma Powell, national board chair of the Pew Partnership.

Open Meadow has received great press about this award this week, including a story on Oregon Public Broadcasting and in The Oregonian.

In the words of Suzanne Morse, President of the Pew Partnership: “It’s replicable. It’s working. There are strong community-school partnerships. It’s an unbeatable combination.”

Congratulations to everyone at STEP UP!