Heights Libraries Announce 2019 Honor Roll Winners

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — The Fund for the Future of Heights Libraries (FFHL) announced the winners of its annual 2019 Honor Roll Literacy Awards. The program recognizes those who have made a sustained and outstanding contribution to the Cleveland Heights-University Heights community by promoting literacy.

This is the third year for the Honor Roll Literacy Awards. Last year's winners include, Drapaudi Pradhan, Suzanne DeGaetano and Rachel Wayne Nelson. Here are this year's winners:

• 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.

Finley Landscaping has "gone above and beyond to assist the library," according to a statement from the CH-UH Libraries. Owned by Mary Finley, the landscapers made sure plants visible from the new children's area would appeal to kids, ensured neighbors were pleased with the redeveloped landscaping at the University Heights branch, and has aided the library in caring for the new Coventry PEACE Park.

Holmes has been both a coordinator and family liaison for Family School Connection. She has increased parental engagement in children's education, promoted literacy for children and helped families build routines that encourage reading.

Rosenbluth is both a co-founder and executive director of Lake Erie Ink. She has worked with kids in both in-school and out-of-school settings since 1991. She created the Youth Leadership group and mentoring program in Shaker Heights and has facilitated Teen Poetry Slams in the Heights area for 18 years. She designs professional workshops for educators and continues the literacy work of Lake Erie Ink.

The three award winners will be recognized at the FFHL Honor Roll Dinner on November 10 at the Acacia Clubhouse at Acacia Reservation in Lyndhurst.