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PIC awarded funding for After School programming
February 1, 2012
The Private Industry Council is pleased to announce that we have been awarded 21st Century Community Learning Center and PA Department of Education Cohort 6 funding!
Over the next three years the award of $1,455,768 will be used to meet the needs of three identified school districts; Albert Gallatin School District (George Plava and Masontown Elementary Schools, along with AG North Middle School), Uniontown Area School District (Ben Franklin, Lafayette, and Menallen Elementary Schools, along with Uniontown Area High School), and Jeanette School District (McKee Elementary).
Throughout the course of the school year and summer programming, a proposed number of 410 students will be reached. It is because PIC firmly believes that, "Where needs are met, goals are reached," that the after school program will strive to improve student academic standing in the subject areas of reading and math; improve behavior in the classroom, decrease truancy and absence from the regular school day; and improve social and emotional development, along with motivation.
To accomplish these goals the PIC plans to collaborate with partnering agencies to provide hands-on enrichment and contextualized learning. Some of those partners include but are not limited to Penn State Fayette, TAME Inc, the PA CareerLinks® in Westmoreland and Fayette, St. Vincent Prevention Center, the Education and Technology Institute (ETI), and the YMCA.
In announcing the award, Tim Yurcisin, President and C.E.O. of the Private Industry Council said, "I am very proud of the longstanding success our youth programming has had in terms of after school services, and look forward to the continued education and enrichment for the children enrolled in our programs."
The after school daily activities will include tutoring and homework assistance, the provision of a healthy snack, physical fitness, character development, and hands-on enrichment projects. Also offered will be parent workshops and student presentations by the Science Center or other organizations to be determined based upon student interest.
The summer program will include the above mentioned activities as well as a variety of hands-on STEM-based projects, and arts and cultural activities. In addition to the certified teachers and instructor aides that will be employed, parent volunteers will also be utilized in the program and volunteers from local University education programs will also be encouraged. Courses offered by Penn State, Eberly Campus, through their "Kids in College" program will also be utilized for a duration of the summer.
In hearing of the award, Joe Segilia, Director of Outreach and Continuing Education at Penn State Fayette, Eberly Campus said, "We are pleased to see that PIC received this funding. This is a great opportunity to provide enrichment in our school districts, which quite often don't have the funds to provide these extra activities. Penn State works with the Private Industry Council to insure the highest academic level is being met within the programming, and that activities are offered which lead to practical STEM-based learning."
The Private Industry Council looks forward to working with these youth and the community members that will be involved in making the after school program a success! The start date and student enrollment forms will soon be released, so please be sure to come back to the PIC website if you have interested students attending the schools mentioned above.
 
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