Dougherty County School System, Albany YMCA renew 21st Century partnership

ALBANY — The Dougherty County School System and the Albany Area YMCA have renewed their 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) partnership for five years with two grants worth a combined $3,870,000 over the next five years beginning in FY16. The funding covers the YMCA’s afterschool and summer programs for three DCSS elementary schools.

The initial CCLC grant, awarded in 2012, is now going into its fourth year of funding. The grant began at Magnolia Elementary, but due to re-purposing of the school in 2013, the program was relocated to Alice Coachman and Live Oak elementary schools. The grant is worth $424,000 per year to those two schools.

Last year was the first year of funding for the CCLC program at Martin Luther King Elementary School. The $350,000 five-year grant will cover grades 1-3.

“The funding is what drives the train for the worthy programs at these three schools,” Dougherty County Superintendent Butch Mosely said. “And we have noticed a difference. Test scores are are rising as are all positive indicators. We are on the move.”

The 21st Century programs supports the creation of community learning centers which provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children — particularly students who attend high poverty and low-performing schools.

“These programs have been a great partnership with the Dougherty County School System,” Albany YMCA 21st CCLP Program director Erin Hutchins said. “Together we are changing a lot of lives.”