Press Release: MSDE Announces $6.8 Million In Afterschool Program Grants

Federal Money To Fund Additional Learning Centers Across State


For Immediate Release                                   Contact: William Reinhard, MSDE, 410-767-0486

                                                                                               
Baltimore, MD (October 1, 2013)

Twenty-two programs in 10 Maryland jurisdictions have been awarded $6.8 million in grants by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) through the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Grant Program.

The 21st CCLC grants provide services to children who attend high poverty schools or schools identified for improvement. The grant requires that each proposal offer opportunities for literacy and related educational development to families of participating students. There also is an emphasis on closing the achievement gap between those receiving free and reduced meals (FARMS) and students not receiving such assistance.

The purpose of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is to create centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities that support what is learned in the classroom. The programs are unique because they also provide an array of enrichment activities. Together, the centers show students the real world connection to what they learn in the classroom and how they can improve their communities.

Maryland’s applicants must integrate character education in accordance with the Character Education Objectives and Guidelines from the Report of the State of Maryland Values Education Commission and integrate service-learning in accordance with the principles described by the 7 Best Practices of Service-Learning.

The grant process was open to public and private organizations including non-profit agencies, city and county government agencies, faith-based groups, institutions of higher education, and for-profit corporations. Forty-six candidates applied.

Applicants awarded grants in this round were comprised of six local school systems, two Charter schools, 12 community-based organizations, one Local Management Board, and one state university.

Grants were awarded on a competitive basis to the following programs:

  • BRIDGES Over Cradlerock, Howard County Public Schools, Howard County
  • Building Scholars for the Future, GapBuster, Inc., Prince George’s County
  • CARE (Comprehensive Academic, Recreation, and Enrichment Afterschool Program), Living Classrooms Foundation, Baltimore City
  • ChesMRC Afterschool and Parent Literacy Program, Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center (ChesMRC), Talbot County
  • Columbia Bridges, Howard County Public Schools, Howard County
  • Dare to Dream, Rice Youth Development Corporation, Baltimore City
  • Elev8 Baltimore Out of School Time, East Baltimore Development, Inc., Baltimore City
  • Excel Academies, Worcester County Public Schools, Worcester County
  • Great Achievers Towards Outstanding Results (GATOR), Montgomery Housing Partnership, Montgomery County
  • Kent Community Learning Centers Project, Kent County Public Schools, Kent County
  • MAEC-Thurgood Marshall ALIVE (Achievement by Linking Vision and Engagement, Mid-Atlantic Consortium, Inc., Prince George’s County
  • Partnering for Youth – Project A to Z, Queen Anne’s County Board of Education, Queen Anne’s County
  • Planting the SEEDs of Success, The SEED School of Maryland, Baltimore City
  • Platform 4 Academic Success in Reading: Project Achieve, Suitland Technology Education Engagement Resource, Prince George’s County
  • SAFE (Students and Families Excelling Extended Day Program), Board of Education Allegany County, Allegany County
  • STEM: Girls Only! Afterschool and Summer Program, Foundation for Baltimore Leadership School for Girls, Baltimore City
  • Students Motivated through the Arts (SMARTs), DanceMakers, Inc., Prince George’s County
  • The FACES of Somerset, Somerset County Local Management Board, Somerset County
  • UMBC STEM Initiative, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore City
  • Y of Central Maryland Journeys 21st Century Community Learning Center at Johnston Square, YMCA of Central Maryland, Baltimore City
  • Y of Central Maryland Journeys 21st Century Community Learning Center at Moravia Park Elementary, YMCE of Central Maryland, Baltimore City
  • Young Innovators STEM Enrichment Program, EduSerc, Inc., Prince George’s County

 

These groups will begin preparations to launch programs this fall. This round of awardees joins 22 projects already operating under the 21st CCLC program. Programs are operating in Allegany, Caroline, Frederick, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester Counties and Baltimore City.

In addition to improving the academic achievement and self-confidence of students, these programs keep students safe, and help working families. Participants are less likely to be involved in crime and more likely to have better grades and behavior than peers left with nothing to do after school.

Parties interested in receiving requests for proposals for the 14th round of grants may contact Vanessa J. Diggs, Director, Youth Development Branch, at 410-767-0653 or vdiggs@msde.state.md.us. To learn more about the program online, please check our Web site: 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

 

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