Ohio University Kids on Campus awarded two new grants totaling $1.7 million
Thanks to the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center grants administered by the Ohio Department of Education, Kids on Campus will continue to offer its services to school districts in Southeast Ohio for the foreseeable future.
This federally funded grant program supports high-quality, out-of-school learning opportunities and related activities for students who attend eligible schools.
“We are very grateful to have worked with our local schools to write competitive grant applications for afterschool programming. We are very pleased to announce that this effort resulted in one new award and seven continuing awards from the Ohio Department of Education,” said Jo Ellen Sherow, program manager of Kids on Campus. “These grants will serve children in six local school districts (Alexander Local, Athens City, Belpre City, Eastern Local, Federal Hocking Local, and Southern Local Perry County) in the coming years. We are extremely excited about our new partnership with Eastern Local Schools in Meigs County. We will be able to offer our program to 7th through 12th grade students in this district over the next five years. This marks the first time in our 26 year history that Kids on Campus will operate in Meigs County.”
Kids on Campus is based in Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions and is a rural community-university partnership serving the underserved in Southeast Ohio including at-risk children. Programming for Kids on Campus is completely funded by donations and grants. Through the new and continuing 21st Century grants, Kids on Campus will receive $1.1 million this year alone.
Each 21st Century grant is worth $850,000 over a five-year period. The following programs benefit from the fund:
- Alexander Junior High and Alexander High School (applied for in partnership with Alexander Local Schools) — Will serve approximately 70 students in grades 6-12 during afterschool and summer programs.
- The Plains Intermediate School (applied for in partnership with Athens City Schools) — Will serve approximately 70 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students during afterschool and summer programs.
- Belpre Elementary School (applied for in partnership with Belpre City Schools) – Will serve approximately 75 K-6 students during afterschool and summer programs.
- Belpre High School (applied for in partnership with Belpre City Schools) – Will serve approximately 60 students in grades 7-12 during afterschool and summer programs.
- Eastern High School (applied for in partnership with Eastern Local Schools) – Will serve approximately 70 students in grades 7 – 12 during afterschool and summer programs.
- Amesville and Coolville Elementary Schools (applied for in partnership with Federal Hocking Local Schools) — Will serve approximately 100 students in grades K-5 before school, afterschool and summer programs.
- Federal Hocking Secondary School (applied for in partnership with Federal Hocking Local Schools) — Will serve approximately 50 students in grades 6-12 during afterschool and summer programs.
- Millcreek Elementary School (applied for in partnership with Southern Local Schools) — Will serve approximately 80 students in grades K-6 during before school, afterschool and summer programs.
- Nelsonville-York Elementary School (applied for in partnership with Nelsonville-York City Schools) – Will serve approximately 75 students in grades K – 5 during before, afterschool and summer programs.
KoC will receive another $1.4 million in federal funds made available from the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, 2021, and from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Kids on Campus employs approximately 200 people each year from Ohio University and surrounding communities including high school and college students, teachers, bus drivers and community members while also partnering with more than 100 area agencies and university departments.