In the newest episode of Vue From The Top, host Melissa Morandi, Director of Marketing and Communications for the City of Bellevue, sits down with Mayor Charlie Cleves and guests from Educate NKY — Dr. Jenny Watson, Vice President of Early Learning and Family Power, and Tom Haggard, Vice President of Community Engagement and Advocacy. The discussion focuses on how Educate NKY, a regional nonprofit partnership, works to connect schools, families, and communities across Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties to expand educational opportunities for every child. The organization doesn’t run programs directly but instead serves as a convener and connector, helping coordinate and strengthen efforts that already exist in the region. The conversation highlights Read Ready, a city-led early literacy initiative that Bellevue has joined alongside other Northern Kentucky river cities. Dr. Watson explains that the program aims to improve kindergarten readiness by aligning community resources for children from birth to age five and tracking progress through key indicators. Mayor Cleves and Melissa share Bellevue’s successful reading initiatives, such as the Adopt-a-Pet Reading Program and maintaining 26 Little Free Libraries, as local examples of how the city promotes literacy. The group also discusses the Footsteps2Brilliance app, a bilingual early literacy tool, and the importance of reading proficiency by third grade as a predictor of long-term academic success. The episode closes with encouragement for residents to get involved — whether as one-on-one reading mentors, volunteers, or advocates — and an invitation to join Bellevue’s upcoming Read Ready committee. Melissa also reminds viewers about the city’s upcoming Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration on November 29, featuring a snowplow parade, Santa’s visit, and a community celebration. This summary of “Educate NKY,” an episode of Vue From The Top, was generated using AI and may contain minor inaccuracies. For the full discussion, watch the official episode.
