CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has revealed the list of recipients for the 2024 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grants. The announcement confirms that several local educational and youth service organizations have been awarded funds to bolster high-caliber, academic-oriented afterschool programs across the state.
The grants are designed to aid in the continuity of these afterschool initiatives and are renewable for a period of up to five years. This renewal is dependent on two factors: sustained backing from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) and the grantee’s adherence to federal and state stipulations.
The organizations benefiting from the 21st CCLC grants are as follows:
- World Vision, Inc., based in Barbour County
- The Boys and Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle, located in Berkeley County
- Southern Educational Services Cooperative, operating in Fayette, Summers, and Webster Counties
- Step By Step, Inc., situated in Kanawha County
- Marion County Schools
- Playmates Preschool and Childcare Centers, Inc., of Wayne County
A fundamental characteristic of these afterschool programs is their provision of a robust learning and development framework. Participating students gain access to invaluable resources such as homework support, tutoring, assistance in achieving state educational benchmarks, and supplementary activities that harmonize with their regular school curriculum during non-school hours. Furthermore, these initiatives prioritize involving parents and caregivers in the educational journey of their children.
In related news, the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act allocated a modest amount of funding aimed at fostering afterschool programs catered to middle or high school students. Notably, this allotment is reserved for entities that aren’t recipients of the 21st CCLC grant. This year, the recipients of this distinct funding are:
- The Boys and Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle
- Tygart Valley United Way.
