The Learning Alliance’s Moonshot Reading Rocket rolled into the Brackett Library at the Indian River State College Mueller Center Campus last Tuesday leaving a trail of stories in its wake. The literacy lab made its way home after a 2,700-mile journey to participate in the Grade-Level Reading Week in Philadelphia.

Members of the community and Moonshot Community Action Network leaders were invited to help welcome the rocket home during a Moonshot Moment Literacy Movement Rocket Return Reception. Guests enjoyed lunch as the road-weary literacy warriors shared stories about the people they met during their adventure and viewed a video featuring highlights of the journey.

During the conference, the Learning Alliance (TLA) brought home awards for the TLA arts-literacy project “Voices: A Community Tapestry of Stories,” the Moonshot Moment Annual Review Book, a video of the 2017 Moonshot Nation Road Trip, a Brightspot award for TLA’s Moonshot Academy, and yet another Pacesetter award recognizing them as literacy leaders.

Giving new meaning to the phrase “Wheels on the Bus,” the Rocket made stops in Philadelphia; Wilmington, Del.; Roanoke, Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Savannah, Ga. Moonshot Ambassadors Jay Krier, Bridget Lyons, Marie O’Brien and Barry Tatem spent time in each community spreading the word that to improve literacy, communities need to work together.

The ambassadors lay the seeds to grow the Moonshot Moment initiative into a nationwide early literacy and reading quest using “Voices: A Community Tapestry of Stories,” an interactive tapestry-making project aimed at improving third-grade reading proficiency as a way to start the conversation.

Lyons explained that the work of George Ella Lyon – Kentucky’s 2015-2016 poet laureate – and her poem “Where I’m From” inspired the project. At each stop, the ambassadors posed the questions: “Where are you from?” “What is your name?” and “What are your dreams?” Participants designed a panel to add to the collaborative tapestry that will line the reflection pond in Washington, D.C. at the Mall on International Literacy Day in 2019, according to O’Brien.

The team also collected interviews for “Moonshot Nation,” a podcast, book and documentary which will serve as a platform to share stories from Campaign for Grade-Level Reading communities as they tackle the literacy crisis.

After an update from the Moonshot Ambassadors, MCAN leaders gave an introspective of the Moonshot Moment Literacy Movement from their perspectives.

O’Brien invited Fran Adams, retired School District of Indian River County superintendent, and the “mother of Moonshot Moment” to discuss the trajectory the Moonshot Moment has taken since the collaborative launched in 2011.

“Today I’m here to celebrate you as a community because I feel like we live in a community that supports children,” said Adams. “I’m also here to welcome back the Moonshot Rocket, a visible symbol of how we feel about early literacy and children reading on grade level.” Adding to National Grade Level for Reading Director Ralph Smith’s challenge that, “Literacy is not a spectator sport. You gotta get off the bleachers and onto the playing field. We not only got off the bleachers but we’ve taken it on the road.”

Later, Casey Lunceford, provost of IRSC Mueller Center, explained how early literacy affects post-secondary education; Susan Adams, IRC county commissioner, noted the importance of literacy to the community; Erin Grall, District 54 state representative, discussed the importance of early literacy; and Tiffany Justice, School Board member, gave a rundown of the ongoing collaboration.

Judi Miller, Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO, explained the reason the Moonshot Moment has attained such remarkable progress. “In 2011 Big Brothers Big Sisters was one of literally hundreds of nonprofit agencies in Indian River County, and we were all working very independently on individual goals. Then Moonshot Moment came along, and it coalesced us toward one single critical goal – reading proficiency by third grade.”

“The Moonshot Movement is a collective effort to create more hopeful futures for our children. I believe the impact of the Moonshot Moment has survived and blossomed all these years because we deeply understand that the youngest in the community need our voice and they need our action. I’m challenging you today to expand our reach so that the importance of early literacy permeates the culture of everything,” said Adams.

To learn more about The Learning Alliance and the Moonshot Moment, visit thelearningalliance.org or moonshotmoment.org.