Mayor-attorney declares Kansas City’s “Greatest Mission”

Mayor Sly James, J.D.

Kansas City Mayor Sylvester “Sly” James, Jr., a local attorney at Kenner Schmitt Nygaard, LLC, recently announced Kansas City’s Greatest Mission: to get all Kansas City children reading at their grade level by the third grade.

Citing humanitarian and economic concerns, James relies on years of longitudinal studies that reveal the importance that early childhood development plays in improving a city’s economic development and decreasing a city’s crime.

James calls Kansas City’s Greatest Mission his biggest economic priority, bigger even than Google Fiber.

Kansas City attorney Judy Heeter is coordinating the campaign.

According to the Kansas City Star: The plan to get there is uniting social service groups, pediatricians, librarians, health care providers, summer school programmers, youth clubs, ministers, counselors and educators from multiple school systems.

“It’s not just a school district issue,” said Judy Heeter, who is coordinating the campaign. “It’s a community issue. … It has to be a clear vision with a clear structure and a clear way to measure success.”

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From the Kansas City Star: KC project aims to improve kids’ reading skills