With a ribbon cutting and its first few "scholars" there, a new Richmond County after-school program started Monday.
The program, organized through the national group BELL, short for Building Educated Leaders for Life, is now available for about 480 children in need of extra instruction at 16 Richmond County schools. The participants are referred to as scholars.
The official kickoff was held at Collins Elementary, where a group of fifth-graders got started with the curriculum immediately afterward.
"Are you all happy to be here?" BELL CEO Tiffany Cooper Gueye asked the class, which had a 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
"Yes!" the scholars shouted back.
The $770,000 program will provide mentoring, tutoring and enrichment services, operating three days a week for 21/4 hours until May 20. Officials say that will be the equivalent of an extra school day every week.
BELL has agreed to fund $225,000 of the cost, and the 16 schools participating are contributing remaining funds through Title 1 and school-improvement money. Many individuals have also donated, and the Community Foundation of the CSRA has contributed $15,000.
On Monday, Collins fifth-grader and BELL after-school participant Jonathan Butler said he was looking forward to increasing his math skills.
"I'm excited because it helps our kids and it makes our community a better place," he said.
BELL was founded in Boston in 1992 and has expanded to provide summer and after-school programs to children in Baltimore, Charlotte, Detroit, New York City and Flint, Mich., serving more than 11,000 children annually.
The group has so far hired 64 teachers from the Richmond County school system to be part of the local program, said Carole Prest, a BELL official, noting that the after-school program could expand beyond its current May 20 end date, if school board officials approve.
Elementary: Bayvale, Blythe, Collins, Gracewood, Jamestown, Jenkins-White, Meadowbrook, Lamar-Milledge, Monte Sano, Southside, Terrace Manor, Wheeless Road, Wilkinson Gardens, Windsor Spring
MIDDLE: Langford and Murphey Charter
Defiantly a step in the right direction. The community should work together to keep programs like this in place.
While I agree this is a great program ... I also wonder why only those that need extra help is targetted. We need to also push our best and brightest to the full extent of their ability also ... not only for their good, but also for the good of our city and nation.
not only that ron, but where are the parents...they should be made to attend also, maybe they can pick up some study skills to help teach their child(ren) at home...because what happens to this program when the money runs out???
This is a dreadful picture, it gives the impression that only black kids need extra help. What was the AC thinking? And AC, there is a difference between 21/4 and 2 1/4. Ask any fifth grader.
Great program..will keep the kids off the st. & help the students in so many ways..wish we could have programs like this all over the nation. I think it would make a big difference in the jail population.. Kids should have to read a book a week & make a book report, look what reading did for Oprah..
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
Back 
