Local schools to get more than $16 million in funding for after, before, summer programs

WORCESTER, Md. – A number of schools across the eastern shore will soon be getting a hefty check that will help fund their before and after school programs that help improve their students academic achievement.

“These after school programs not only keeps them busy but it also fosters great learning ,” said the Director Of Communications for Wicomico County Public Schools Paul Butler.

On Tuesday, The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced the 12 counties that would be awarded more than $16 million in grant money from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant program. Among those receiving the funding include Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico County.

“Whenever we can get a grant like this or whenever we can get some money to put on an after school program like this it’s so valuable for the kids,” Butler said.

Officials say the grant helps Title I schools that serve a high percentage of students from low income families to provide the critical*resources their students need to be successful.

“Our job is to ultimately make our kids career and college ready and now as they go through their life we want them prepared so when they graduate from high school we have given them the tools they need to be successful,” said Superintendent of the Worcester County Public Schools, Lou Taylor.

Taylor says this funding will help Worcester county public schools continue to provide the free*after school programs they have in place for their students that often provide food and other basic needs.

“Our after school programs allow us to do that and so we provide meals and we feel good about our kids being able to receive all those things that we feel they so desperately need at times,” he said.

Taylor adds that its imperative that schools continue to receive the funding necessary to provide the programs students across the eastern shore so heavily rely on.

“It’s extremely important, most importantly to our young people,” he said.

Taylor adds that this funding will also allow the Worcester County Public Schools to provide programs that support the social and emotional needs of their students as well.