Stanly County Schools, Albemarle Parks and Recreation partner for summer learning opportunity

Published 10:26 am Thursday, May 11, 2023

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Stanly County Schools and Albemarle Parks and Recreation have been awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) Summer Mini Grant for this summer.

The 21st CCLC FY23 Competitive Summer Mini-Grant Program will fund a summer program designed to improve students’ access to innovative learning strategies in order to achieve grade-level proficiency. In addition, the program will engage all students in quality, interactive enrichment opportunities that are multi-disciplinary in approach, broad in offering, and build connections between academic skills and knowledge and a students’ cultural and community contexts.

The competitive grant opportunity will be processed through the North Carolina CCIP system. Grant amounts depend on 1) needs identified in the community and schools; 2) scope of the program; 3) proposed number of students served; and 4) program design.

The program for this summer has been named Project Next Step as the goal for the program is to aid students in realizing the steps they need to take to be successful in school and in planning their future.  The grant award amount totals $168,692.

Project Next Step will operate June 19 to July 28 and will serve approximately 50 students within Albemarle who are rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.

Project Next Step will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offer daily themed activities — Motivate Monday, Tech Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Thrive Thursday and Field Trip Friday.  Two weekend events are planned to include family and the community.

“Parks and Rec is a vital part of bridging the gap between the academic needs and the physical needs of students,” Lisa Kiser, director of Albemarle Parks and Recreation, said. “We are happy to partner with Stanly County Schools on this summer program.”

The FY23 Competitive Summer Mini-Grant Program is a short-term grant program. Funds will be available to awarded subgrantees from April 12, 2023 through Sept. 1, 2023 with no opportunity for renewal.