Pictured above: The Sebring SA6 group attended a YSU Men’s Basketball Game last season and were recognized on the court for their participation in Pete the Penguin’s Reading Club, which is an incentive-based program designed to inspire students to read for enjoyment.
Sebring Local Schools is glad to announce it is one of only 21 districts in the state granted the opportunity to expand its after-school activities and other wrap-around services. This comes as the district expands its partnership with United Way’s Success After 6, as a result of additional funding through the nonprofit organization.
The United Way of Youngstown-Mahoning Valley is a recipient of the Ohio Department of Education’s federally-funded 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, which supports high-quality, after-school learning opportunities and activities for students.
Of 361 applications, only 21 grants were distributed in the state of Ohio, and two of those were awarded to the United Way on behalf of two of its local partner schools, one of which being Sebring’s B.L. Miller Elementary School.
The five-year grant supports five-days a week of after-school programming and 100 hours of summer programming for students in first- through fifth-grade, with a focus on workforce development, academics and enrichment activities.
“We’re very excited that this additional funding will allow us to offer five days of after-school programming, as compared to the four days we were able to offer for the past two years through our partnership with the United Way,” says Jill Dennis, Sebring Local Schools Family Engagement Coordinator and United Way Success After Six District Coordinator.
“Through this programming, we look forward to continuing to focus on the whole child, providing wrap-around services that many of our families need, and bridging the gap between academics and enrichment,” says Dennis. “Some of the ways we do that is by providing tutoring and teacher instruction, with time for students to work on their school work, while also offering unique and fun enrichment activities each day, giving them hands-on experience with STEM, STEAM, and workforce development. We’re glad to have many community partners come in each week to lead different activities.”
Some of those partners include OH WOW! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology, the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County-Sebring Library, the Ohio State University Extension- Mahoning County 4-H, PBS Western Reserve’s Ohio Learns 360 and the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio.
Dennis discussed plans for having Sebring alumni attend the after-school program to discuss a variety of career paths. Students are also exposed to workforce development through service projects in the community and volunteering at local events.
“We’re fortunate to have a wonderful staff of Success After 6 ‘champions’ and Sebring teachers, which creates a great sense of community with our students involved in this program,” added Dennis.
Success After 6 will begin in early October. Eligible Sebring students will receive enrollment packets and a limited number of spots will be filled, with a waiting list on reserve.
Sebring Local Schools also have plans to continue partnering with the United Way Success After 6 on additional Family Engagement events throughout the year.
For more information about the Ohio Department of Education’s 21st Century Grant, visit https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Federal-Programs/Programs/21st-Century.
Photos below:
Caption 1: United Way’s SA6 After-School Program provides Sebring students with hands-on enrichment activities, such as these “Grow and Glow Terrarium” soil experiments they completed last year.
Caption 2: Through SA6, Sebring students enjoy STEM activities led by the program’s community partners, including the Ohio State University Extension of Mahoning County, which led this robot activity last year.
Caption 3: Sebring students have their hand in experimentation during SA6, thanks to program partners such as OH WOW! Kids!The Roger & Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science & Technology, which provided these STEM SAK soil experiments last year.
Caption 4: Sebring SA6 students also have the opportunity to participate in enrichment field trips, such as their “Spooky Science” visit last year, at the Beech Creek Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve in Alliance.
