Gettysburg College received a 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant to establish a community learning center on campus that provides high quality, bilingual learning opportunities after school and in the summer for underserved students and their families in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
This $1.2 million competitive grant, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, focuses on providing enriching academic, artistic, and cultural experiences and other services like counseling. Brenda Reyes-Lúa, associate director of the College’s Center for Public Service (CPS), led the effort to secure the grant. Set to open in September, Gettysburg’s 21st CCLC will coordinate closely with both local and campus partners, such as the Vida Charter School, the Spanish Department, and the Innovation and Creativity Lab, to provide local students and families resources and opportunities for hands-on learning.
“Gettysburg College recognizes the role that it plays in the greater Gettysburg and Adams County community and values a lifelong commitment to service,” said CPS Director Jeff Rioux. “We exemplify this value by both modeling public service and fostering a commitment to service among our students. At Gettysburg College, CPS is a hub for this work. The Center strives to engage students, community members, faculty, and staff to facilitate partnerships, education, critical thinking, and informed action.”
In partnership with several local community organizations, Gettysburg’s 21st CCLC will combine the expertise and resources from Vida Charter School and the College to help students in Kindergarten through 6th grade, alongside their families, meet state standards for core academic subjects, specifically reading and mathematics. The goal is to close the documented gap between English language learners and their English-proficient classmates in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, increasing academic performance and reducing school absenteeism.
“These connections,” Rioux continued, “will benefit our campus community as well as program participants, providing Gettysburg College students with real-world experiences that strengthen civic mindedness, intercultural fluency, teamwork, and other skills which are important to our Strategic Direction and to preparing our graduates to impact our world.”
Serving nearly 90 students from Vida Charter School (grades K-6), Lincoln Elementary (grades K-5), and James Gettys Elementary (grades K-5) in after-school and summer programming, Gettysburg’s 21st CCLC will offer bilingual academic learning and tutoring, cultural and linguistic enrichment and physical activities, and family involvement initiatives.
Participating students will have the opportunity to enroll at one of two program sites: Vida Charter School or Gettysburg College’s El Centro program, which serves Spanish-speaking families and is administered collaboratively by the Spanish Department and CPS.
Community partners include Vida Charter School, Adams County Arts Council, Gettysburg Community Theatre, YWCA of Gettysburg and Adams County, and Phoenix Counseling.