Vida Charter School and Gettysburg College’s Center for Public Service (El Centro) will continue providing a bilingual learning center for underserved students in Adams County after Gettysburg College’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant was renewed for a second year. The renewed federal funding will support afterschool and summer programming for students from Vida, James Gettys Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary, reinforcing reading, math, and other core subjects in both Spanish and English while offering enrichment activities, physical activity, and snacks.
Changes in the federal funding landscape earlier in 2025 nearly halted the program, but the grant was renewed in time to preserve services for the 2025–2026 school year; without the continuation of the federal grant, neither Gettysburg College nor Vida could have absorbed the program’s costs. “The program absolutely depends on this grant,” said Dr. Christine Miller, Vida’s executive director. “Without it, our students would lose ten hours of supplemental weekly academic support and the caring relationships with the afterschool program staff.”
Ricardo Hernandez, program director at El Centro, and Maria Perez, a Gettysburg College lecturer in Spanish, said the funding is essential to providing transportation and expanding reach beyond Gettysburg Borough to nearby communities such as Hanover, Pa. Previously, the college could offer the program only to students within the borough; with the renewed funding, organizers expect to serve more families and remove transportation barriers that prevent some children from participating.
The bilingual 21st CCLC afterschool and summer programs include bus transportation and are provided at no cost to students or their families. Gettysburg College students offer one-on-one tutoring, and the learning center meets each school day at two locations: Vida’s campus and El Centro, with Vida serving as the summer site. Vida is a public, tuition-free school that teaches all students in Spanish and English through a dual-language model, bridging learning across subjects in both languages.
The program targets an opportunity gap that affects traditionally underserved students, including English learners. At the Gettysburg Area School District (GASD), approximately 4 percent of students identify as English learners, while about 22 percent of Vida students are identified as English learners. “Students learning English as a new language may be challenged to demonstrate their knowledge in English even when they have a deep understanding of academic concepts in their native language,” Dr. Miller said. “There is also a documented opportunity gap influenced by environment, economic status, race, and other factors that affects academic achievement; the 21st CCLC program helps close those performance gaps.”
Hernandez and Perez said the program is designed to focus on areas where students need the most support, helping them improve academically and build confidence both inside and outside the classroom. They emphasized intentional efforts to expand access, noting that transportation is critical because some families may not feel safe or be unable to pick up their children due to work schedules. “We strive to accommodate as many students as possible and ensure they benefit from the academic support and caring relationships the 21st CCLC program provides,” they said.
This year, Hernandez and Perez anticipate serving 44 students from Vida and 44 students from GASD. As the grantee, Gettysburg College will ensure the 21st CCLC meets state-required goals, provides materials, and handles program administration, while Vida will refer students and collaborate with the college to implement best practices for bilingual learning and student safety. Hernandez credited Vida’s leadership and referral efforts with helping secure and continue grant funding. “Vida’s ability to identify and refer students is vital for our success,” he said. “I’m extremely grateful to the main office and administrative team for their work in improving the program and supporting their students. Vida continues to be a great partner and is the perfect place to host one of our program sites.”
To enroll in the afterschool program, contact Ricardo Hernandez at rhernand@gettysburg.edu or 717-337-6491.
About Vida Charter School: Located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Vida Charter School has served students in kindergarten through sixth grade in a dual-language immersion model for the last 15 years, with a commitment to bilingualism, diversity, and holistic child development that fosters academic, social, and cultural growth.