Charniece Holmes (left) and Amy Rosenbluth (right)
The Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL), the Library’s foundation, is pleased to announce the 2019 winners of its annual Honor Roll Literacy Awards:
- Amy Rosenbluth, executive director of Lake Erie Ink, a nonprofit that provides creative expression opportunities and academic support to youth in the Greater Cleveland community; and
- Charniece Holmes, family school connection program coordinator at Family Connections, an organization that provides parenting support and educational opportunities for families with children from birth through age 5.
- Finley Landscaping, Cleveland Heights-based landscaping company.
Now in its third year, the FFHL Honor Roll Literacy Awards recognize those who have made a sustained, outstanding contribution to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community by promoting literacy or by educating through literacy.
Since 2011, Charniece Holmes has served as both coordinator and family liaison for a program called Family School Connection. As coordinator she has increased parental engagement in their child’s education, promoted children’s literacy levels and school readiness and helped families establish routines and activities that promote reading. As liaison, Holmes has been an advocate for each family preparing their children for kindergarten.
Amy Rosenbluth is the co-founder and executive director of Lake Erie Ink and has worked with youth during both in-school and out-of- school time programs since 1991. She created the Youth Leadership group and mentoring program for the Shaker Heights Youth Center and has been facilitating Teen Poetry Slams in the Heights area for over 18 years. A credentialed 7-12 English teacher and prevention certified youth advocate, Rosenbluth is co-founder and oversees all operations of Lake Erie Ink. She still works directly with youth, primarily teen poets, facilitating writing and spoken word workshops, both on site and off. She also designs and facilitates professional development workshops for teachers and other youth serving professionals.
Finley Landscaping will receive a newly-added award honoring a local business that has gone above and beyond to assist the Library. Finley Landscaping and its owner, Mary Finley, are true Library, and community, partners. During the University Heights branch renovation, Finley met with Library neighbors to ensure they would be happy with the new landscaping. She also made sure that the plants that would be visible from the new children’s area would appeal to children. And she has been an integral part of helping the Library care for the newly acquired Coventry PEACE Park.
Holmes, Rosenbluth, and Finley will receive their awards at the FFHL Honor Roll Dinner on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at the Acacia Clubhouse at Acacia Reservation, 26899 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst. For more information contact Nancy Levin, director of Heights Libraries, 216-932-3600 ext. 2140, nlevin@heightslibrary.org or visit the FFHL website.
Last year’s recipients were Drapaudi Pradhan, Suzanne DeGaetano and Rachel Wayne Nelson. They joined John Jarvey, and Marilyn McLaughlin from the inaugural year of the Honor Roll.