(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools, September 22, 2020)
A new program has started at Allen County-Scottsville High School---a multi-facet program that will benefit dozens of high school students and their families this year.
Earlier in 2020, the Allen County Scottsville High School received a 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant (21st CCLC) based on a grant application written by high school teachers Debra Rigsby and Codey Baskett. As a result, the 21st CCLC was launched under the name Patriot Providence.
“This program is possible by a competitive grant funded by the United States Department of Education and the Kentucky Department of Education, providing our school with $675,000 over a five-year period,” Baskett, the program’s Director, explained. “It allows us to provide after school programs and events to enhance students' and family’s academic experiences at no cost to them. 21st CCLC is a partnership between the school and the community to help develop the whole student. Each grant is required to have a co-applicant. Our co-applicant is the City of Scottsville. The 21st CCLC has a set of six federally-mandated goals for the program and from those goals we developed objectives by which our program will meet those goals.”
Patriot Providence (PP) will focus on many diverse activities and projects throughout the year. The list includes activities to make the transition to and from high school easier and improve academic performance, providing tutoring for students struggling in classes and allow students to make up credits as needed. The program will host career camps, oversee college visits, help students explore and possibly receive internships for future careers, and PP will host nights for families to provide information on a variety of interests.
Additionally, Patriot Providence will also work with families and students together to encourage learning. PP will also help students transition to the world of college by assisting with college applications, financial aid, and FASFA (Free Application for Student Financial Aid) completion, as well as assisting families in seeking career and educational opportunities.
The program gives students help in ACT preparation through a high-qualified ACT Certified Educator, provides social and emotional learning for students, and offers STEM/STEAM enrichment activities. PP will also cover some basic needs in “Adulting 101” ---needs such as sewing a button, changing oil, doing laundry, money management and budgeting, healthy eating and culinary classes. The program’s plans also calls for awareness education of the dangers of smoking, drugs and alcohol. Additional goals include providing information for programs for adult family members, visual and performing arts activities, provide social, emotional, and behavior support as needed, and even provide an additional snack and dinner for students who are enrolled.
Because the grant is a community grant, PP is partnering with many businesses throughout our community to provide enrichment activities, internships, job training, and authentic learning experiences in real world situations.
“We are super excited about this new program,” task manager Debra Rigsby stated. “This program will bring so many possibilities to enrich the lives of our students, their families and our community.”
Brooke Davis---a former officer with the Scottsville Police Department--- will serve as the site coordinator for the afterschool program as well as the companion summer program.
“I’m enthusiastic about transitioning from one form of public service to another,” Davis said. “I’m also enthusiastic in working with our community partners to ensure the progress and success of the participants in our program.”
Patriot Providence will present the components of the program to enrolled students in a two-and-a-half block of time after school.
“During a traditional school year our program will operate four days per week, Monday through Thursday, from school dismissal until 5:20 pm,” Davis explained. “During this time students will participate in both academic activities and enrichment activities as the program focuses on development of the “whole student”. Our program opened on September 14 and continue for the duration of the school year.”
On a typical, normal, day, at the 2:40 p.m. dismissal students staying for after-school 21st CCLC activities will sign in, be given a snack, and meet in the auditorium prior to the day’s activities.
“All students must complete 30 minutes of homework each day with help or tutoring by certified teachers and at that time students may go to different enrichment activities offered that day,” Rigsby added. “At 4:00 p.m. all students will be offered a supper meal and additional enrichment activities will be provided until 5:20 at which time students will be dismissed. We will have two dismissal times: 4:00 p.m. and 5:20 pm. Students dismissed at 5:20 will be provided bus transportation home. Additionally, each day, Monday through Friday, we will offer early morning tutoring from 7:00 to 7:30 for students to additionally seek homework help.”
Basket adds that the program is available to every high school student.
“The 21st CCLC program, overall, is directed toward at-risk, low performing students, however all students enrolled at AC-SH in grades 9-12 may participate in our programs,” Baskett noted. “This includes students with disabilities. Students do not have to be referred to 21st CCLC in order to participate in our programs. Additionally, by the federal guidelines, any student who reside in Allen County that would be in grades 9-12, whether attending AC-SHS, a private school, or homeschooled may also participate in our programs, so we encourage them to register or call for more information.”
All students may register through our Patriot Providence website using the google form, call the school, or email Brook Davis at AC-SHS.
High school teachers may also refer students who are struggling in their regular classes (anyone with a grade below a C), students needing to make-up tests or assignments, or who may need to attend 21st CCLC for tutoring and intervention.
Students are not required to attend everyday but the directors encourage them to do. However, a student can choose to take part in just one phase of the program. For example, a student who wants to stay for our Mess Hall (culinary) activities or ACT Camp, may choose to stay for 21st CCLC only on the days those activities are offered.
Patriot Providence activities will not be limited to a classroom experience. Plans call for enrolled students to both take trips and fundraise.
“Throughout the typical year and during summer school, students enrolled in our program will take several field trips, have guest speakers, family/parent events and hold fundraisers to assist in finances,” Baskett said.
As the program gets off the ground, the leaders note that plans are being put into place to make Patriot Providence a fixture in the educational system at AC-SH.
“In the grant application, we were required to develop a program sustainability plan,” Baskett added. “Our proposal included plans of how we plan to continue our 21st CCLC program after the initial funding cycle. This plan included various types of fundraisers, community contributions, seeking additional grant funding such as through United Way or the Laura Goad Turner or Dollar General. We may apply for continuation funding through KDE with a reduction in the funding amount.”
Rigsby, Davis, and Baskett add that the program is truly a community partnership.
“Besides the City of Scottsville being a co-applicant, we were required to submit a list of initial community partnerships between businesses and organizations that have a vested interest in the community and success of Allen County students,” Davis noted. “These initial partnerships include, The Core of Scottsville, US Army Corps of Engineers, Allen County Health Department, AC-SHS Family Resource Youth Services Center, the Office of the Judge Executive of Allen County, Allen County Adult Education and Boys and Girls Club of Scottsville. We will continually seek out new community partnerships and if any business or organization is interested in partnering with our 21st CCLC program, please feel free to contact Mr. Baskett, Mrs. Davis or Mrs. Rigsby. We are always looking for partners who are interested in seeing the students of AC-SHS succeed academically and have a vested interest in preparing them for success after graduation.”
Students and parents will be able to get information on our program updates through the Facebook page: ACSHS Patriot Providence 21st CCLC. Parents/guardians can visit the high school web page and click on the 21st CCLC tab to visit our program website or follow this link Students and families can join our Google Classroom with the code: ydvakhs.
“In each of these locations, parents and students will be able to access our registration forms, student and parent interest surveys, detailed descriptions of activities, view our weekly schedule of activities as some activities will be offered daily, others weekly or twice weekly, monthly or seasonally depending on student participation and the nature of the activity,” Rigsby explained. “Those schedules will be available for students and parents to view in advance.”
Anyone with questions can contact AC-SHS.