Programs focus on helping students

Staff report

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Through grants and partnerships with community organizations, the city schools provide after-school 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.

Past organizations that have provided funding include the Youngstown Community Development Agency and the William H. Swanston and Rayen foundations.

Services begin immediately after the school day and end at either 5:30 or 6 p.m. five days per week. Programs are structured in eight-to-12-week sessions with homework help/academic intervention, a snack and enrichment activities.

Through a partnership established this year, the St. Vincent dePaul Society dining hall provides a light meal to 180 children at YAA sites two days per week. The meal consists of a sandwich, drink and fruit.

“The St. Vincent dePaul Society allocated $5,800 towards this partnership,” said Ralph Barone, manager of the dining hall. “We are happy to work with the Youngstown public schools in order to provide a healthy meal.”

YAA and St. Vincent dePaul are looking for additional food partners to help with the program.