Youngstown schools care for kids after classes

youngstowN

Through grants and partnerships with community organizations, the city schools provide afterschool programs to more than 250 students.

The Youngstown Afterschool Alliance was formed to support students and families through quality programming that focuses on reading, math, personal skill development and exposure to new opportunities.

“I’m excited about this year’s program and the progress that has been made so far,” said Claudia Charity, manager of community partnerships for the city schools. “We want the city to know that there are good things happening in the YCSD and the Youngstown Afterschool Alliance is one of them. So many times, all the public hears about is our school district’s state of academic emergency.”

YAA’s main purpose is to address and improve children’s attendance and homework completion to ultimately achieve higher test scores, she said.

The program serves more than 257 students operating at six sites: Learning Tree on the Youngstown State University campus, P. Ross Berry and Volney Rogers middle schools, Rayen Early College at Choffin Career and Technical Center and Taft and Williamson elementary schools.

Students participate at no cost and must be referred by a teacher or parent.

YAA is made possible by two federal grants and a grant from the Raymond John Wean Foundation.

The program also is made possible through partnerships with the St. Vincent dePaul Society, ONTASC and Heart Reach Ministries.

As a result of the new grants, YAA will receive $1.5 million over the next five years to provide after school programming to the P. Ross Berry, Volney and Rayen Early College middle schools.

Read more in Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com