In their words

› “This is a burning bridge moment … I think people realize this is almost a do-or-die moment for this community around access to opportunities.”

— Jared Bigham, coordinator of Chattanooga 2.0

› “We have an early childhood education desert in our community.” — Lesley Scearce, CEO of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga

› “We cannot operate in a vacuum, so we need help … We are already doing some good work and we are wanting to get better.”

— Kirk Kelly, interim superintendent of Hamilton County Schools

› “[Chattanooga 2.0] is really reimagining what education should look like and what it could be like for our kids … The strategies that are in place really reflect that, and as a whole this is about reimagining that infrastructure of opportunity.”

— Keri Randolph, director of innovation for Hamilton County Schools

› “We know we have to move that 43 percent [literacy rate in grades 3-8] to 80 percent, and we are going to stay awake at night until we do.”

— Jill Levine, chief academic officer of Hamilton County Schools

› “What excites us the most about Chattanooga 2.0 is the big bold goal of having 75 percent [of adults with a post-secondary degree or credential] … We want to help more students walk across that graduation stage.”

— Nancy Patterson, a vice president at Chattanooga State Community College

› “We also need to have some success right now for the kids we have right now.”

— Sarah Morgan, president of the Benwood Foundation