Two Jackson County school corporations recently learned they will receive grants for after-school programs.

The Indiana Department of Education announced Crothersville Community School Corp. was awarded $180,000 and Medora Community School Corp. received $112,500 in 21st Century Community Learning Centers program grant funding.

Fifty-seven organizations that provide out-of-school-time enrichment programs throughout the state received grants, which range from $75,000 to $325,000 and total nearly $10.3 million. Seventy-five school corporations, nonprofits and community organizations applied for grants.

Selected programs will be funded for up to four years beginning in the 2017-18 school year. Continued funding is based upon annual reviews and successful program implementation.

Indiana’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers aim to increase access to high-quality non-school-hour programming across the state for students in low-performing and high-poverty schools.

The centers provide a range of services to support student learning and development, including academic enrichment, tutoring and mentoring and homework help along with music, arts, sports and cultural activities. They also offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

The federally funded program is an out-of-school-time initiative authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act and reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Medora’s grant funding will be used to start a high school after-school program that focuses on college and career readiness. It will begin in August.

The corporation already has a 21st Century Community Learning Centers after-school program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Run by Blue River Services Inc., the program currently has 42 students enrolled.

The program runs from 3 to 6 p.m. every school day. Students receive snacks for the first half-hour before concentrating on homework from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The rest of the time is spent participating in club activities and special events.

Different clubs are offered each month. Cooking, games, crafts and STEM are among the clubs established so far. The Medora Cadet Corp also sprung from the program.

During the second semester, program leaders plan to have a professional artist provide art classes and also have CIZE dance, gymnastics and tae kwon do classes.

They also are hoping to have a prom event in March for students in preschool through eighth grade to attend with their families.

Details about Crothersville’s plans for the grant funding were unavailable.

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The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is a federally funded program that provides at-risk students a safe environment during non-school hours.

This program may have one or multiple centers/sites, which may be located in schools, community facilities or faith-based facilities.

All centers must provide a range of high-quality services to support regular school-day academics and development, including, but not limited to, tutoring and mentoring, academic enrichment (homework assistance, reading, math, science and technology programs), service learning, character education, physical education and recreational activities and dropout prevention.

The program must also engage adult family members in actively participating with students through educational and personal development opportunities.

For information, visit doe.in.gov/21stcclc.

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