The Community Foundation has committed a total of $150,000 over three years to help address the county-wide gap in accessible after school programming for middle school age youth, Foundation President & CEO Shari Woodbury announced Aug. 29. Starting in January, this start-up funding will enable the Monroe County Community School Corporation (MCCSC) and the Richland Bean Blossom Community School Corporation (RBBCSC) to collaborate with area youth serving agencies to offer student-driven programs at each of the four area middle schools – Tri-North, Jackson Creek, Batchelor and Edgewood.

 This funding announcement is the latest highlight in a process that began in the fall of 2006, when the Foundation chose to allocate significant grantmaking resources towards a critical community need. At the suggestion of former Foundation Board member and current IU Police Lt. Steve Fiscus, the organization decided to focus on middle schoolers. This is a population where prevention and early intervention can be very effective and the need is great. Numerous visioning sessions and focus groups with youth serving agencies, educators and students showed that youth need more options for after school activities, but transportation and cost are major barriers.

 “This initiative will join the facilities, transportation and coordination capabilities of the schools, with the creative programming strengths of local agencies, and active, supported youth leadership,” Woodbury said.

HISTORY OF THIS INITIATIVE
If you are not familiar with this initiative or would simply like an overview of its purpose and how it has developed, see the general info link, along with the first two pages of the focus group link.

We are currently focusing on identifying a coordinator. The coordinator will work with others to carry out the vision the community has helped develop around accesible after-school programming for middle schoolers (see Coordination Proposal Requirements at bottom).

Thank you for your interest in this initiative. If you have any questions about the documents below, or general comments or questions about this initiative, please contact Renee Chambers, Program Director, at 333-9016.

General Information

Focus Groups (Fall 2006 - Spring 2007)

Visioning (Winter 2008)

Strategy Workshop (Spring 2008)

Grant/Collaboration Opportunity (May 2008)