After winning the award, the All-America City Steering Team joined forces with another successful regional organization, the Number One Committee. The new organization is known as the Tri-Cities TN/VA All-America City Partnership, and includes the original Steering Team as well as ongoing aspects of the Number One Committee, including the Regional Chamber Coalition, Education 2010 and Regional Vision 2025.

•Steering Team

•All-America City Steering Team

In February 2000, the Tri-Cities TN/VA All-America City 5-Star Regional Showcase took place at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. This event featured workshops covering topics from culture to economic development, and it also highlighted the past achievements of our region and served as a process to move forward with new ideas.

Top All-America City officials, including Chris Gates, were in attendance at the Showcase. To see excerpts of their presentations, click the "Video Showcase" icon to the left. Beyond serving as a learning experience for attendees, the Showcase was fun. It featured the All-America City Bluegrass Band singing the official song of Tri-Cities, "Strength In Numbers." Entertainment also included renowned storyteller David Joe Miller, and the day was completed with an excellent performance by Genesis Ensemble, a highly talented youth choir.

In June, several of the Tri-Cities TN/VA All-America City Partnership and Steering Team members were invited to Louisville, KY, for the 2000 All-America City Awards Competition. They hosted an informational session explaining the logistics of applying for the All-America City award as a region and what Tri-Cities TN/VA has done to continue the momentum of All-America City status since winning the award. They also addressed the new winners of the award on June 3 to offer ideas and suggestions for marketing their designation.

On April 6, 2001, a regional event is planned at Tusculum College in Greeneville, TN. This event is geared toward government officials, and its goal is to inform these leaders of the benefits of being an All-America City and how citizen participation will not only assist them in their work but make our entire region a better place.

Additionally, the Steering Team is now serving as the primary marketing arm for Partnership activities. Efforts are still underway to increase public awareness of our region's designation locally and abroad. A variety of media is utilized to increase the visibility of Tri-Cities TN/VA and its designation.

•Education 2010 Task Force

Accomplishments 1999-2000

Academic Skills Team
• Identified programs that are working. Surveyed schools with 19 returned surveys.
• Quality information received.Measurement Team
• Understanding of data.
• Developing a method to present information.

Funding Team
• Obtained Appalachian Regional Commission Grant.
• Local Pledges of $11,500

Awarness & Support
• Developed Communication Strategy
• Met with local civic groups • Working with school superintendents.

Plans for 2000-2001

Academic Skills Team
• Follow-up on unreturned surveys
• Looking for other validated programs. • Print survey results.
• Present survey results on website
• Showcase
• Survey community colleges and 4-year institutions

Measurement Team
• Present to states a method to compile and present data to be user friendly to six key audiences.
• Create website to present information
• Develop international benchmark for academic performances and how to use it

Funding Team
• Senator Frist will assist with searches for funding opportunities
• Explore Education Edge funding potential

Awareness & Support
• Meet with Tri-Cities Business Alliance
• Execute the strategy
• Press Event
• Inventory what businesses are doing to support education and share this information with other businesses
• Compile information on parental involvement

GOAL

• Subcommittees with specific charges to complete
• Support other groups accomplish their charge

•Regional Vision 2025

•Regional Chamber Coalition

The Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia Regional Chamber Coalition is designed to focus regional resources into a partnership that will foster the following:
• Collective leadership;
• A unified voice;
• A regional identity;
• Cooperation among existing agencies;
• Investment;
• Jobs;
• Preservation of our unique environment; and
• Enhanced quality of life

Twelve organizations comprise the Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia Regional Chamber Coalition. Members include the following:
• Russell County, VA Chamber of Commerce
• Scott County, VA Chamber of Commerce
• Smyth County, VA Chamber of Commerce
• Washington County, VA Chamber of Commerce
• Johnson City-Jonesborough-Washington County, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Johnson County, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Kingsport, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Rogersville, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Bristol, TN/VA Chamber of Commerce
• Elizabethton/Carter County, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Erwin/Unicoi County, TN Chamber of Commerce
• Greene County, TN Partnership
• Boone, NC Area Chamber of Commerce

Currently, the primary focus of the Regional Chamber Coalition is Regional Vision 2025. The purpose of this process is to develop a long-term vision that meets the needs of the entire Tri-Cities TN/VA region.

•Additional Regional Projects

In addition to the projects undertaken by the Partnership, a number of regional organizations exist in Tri-Cities TN/VA and are active in promoting our region's cultural heritage. For instance, the Storytelling Foundation International and the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance (BCMA) continue working to keep our regional heritage alive. In progress is construction of a national storytelling center. This $8 million endeavor is projected to attract over 80,000 visitors annually. The Jonesborough Storytelling Festival last year was attended by over 12,000 people.

The BCMA continues to support education programs to enable young people, communities, and national and international audiences to appreciate our musical heritage. In 1998, the efforts of the BCMA led the U.S. Congress to officially designate Bristol the birthplace of country music. It was in a studio at 410 State Street in Bristol that Ralph Peer recorded Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter Family (think June CARTER Cash) in 1927. From there, country music eventually moved west to Nashville and Hollywood. In the meantime, the efforts of the BCMA have kept the simpler music of our Appalachian heritage alive in Tri-Cities, TN/VA. Indeed, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has implemented a bluegrass and country music program. That complements the master's degree program in storytelling available at the university.

While the Storytelling Foundation International and the Birthplace of Country Music Alliance strive to save a way of life, several rural medical projects continue striving to save lives. In the mountainous, less densely populated areas of the region, primary health care can be almost an hour's drive away. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that the population in those areas contains a far higher percentage of elderly residents than do urbanized areas. The Appalachian Preceptorship Program at ETSU is designed to create interest in rural medicine among future health care providers. In Southwest Virginia, children receive treatment through the Comprehensive Health Investment Project. CHIP, as it's called, is designed to help disadvantaged families with children age six and under. The effect of partnerships like these is to increase access to basic health care, particularly for those who live in remote areas of the region or cannot afford health insurance.

Of course these are just some of the worthwhile projects currently underway in the Tri- Cities, TN/VA. For information on others projects and how to take part, click the "How to Get Involved" button on the left side of this page.