Children’s Village Academy Receives $1.5 Million Grant to Establish Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning Center
This program will aid CVA in closing the achievement gap and preparing the next generation of great scientists, engineers and STEM leaders.
Kinston, N.C. - Kinston K-8 charter school Children’s Village Academy (CVA) has been awarded up to $1.5 million in grant funds to establish a 21st Century Community Learning Center program in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for CVA students and other eligible low-income students in Lenoir County Public Schools. Thanks to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina State Board of Education, students who enroll in the program will have the opportunity to receive year-round learning opportunities beyond the classroom in STEM subject areas.
The program will be launched during the 2014-2015 school year. Students enrolled in the 21st Century Community Learning Center program will be able to participate in exploratory engineering classes, a robotics program, hands-on science projects, and a high tech STEM laboratory that will peak their curiosity while providing the additional enrichment needed to excel on the North Carolina mandated End-of-Grade tests in reading, mathematics, and science. The program will take place after school hours, on weekends, and during the summer in the form of a Summer STEM Institute for students interested in STEM careers.
The program will also offer workshops and resources for parents on topics such as bullying and reinforcement of reading at home, connect parents with the necessary community resources, and will allow CVA to house a parent library resource center equipped with several computers.
Our goal is to bridge the achievement divide between low-income students in Lenoir County and students at schools in more affluent counties. Our students are entitled to the same academic opportunities. CVA is committed to ensuring that students are prepared to perform well and won’t be left behind under the newly implemented Common Core State Standards curriculum. With a shortage of STEM workers, opportunities to work in the STEM field are boundless. Yet minorities are vastly underrepresented in the STEM jobs. Programs like the 21st Century Community Learning Center are imperative to the success of our students, of whom the majority is African-American.
We look forward to this opportunity to inspire, challenge and prepare Children’s Village Academy students through the 21st Century Community Learning Center program and prepare the next generation of great scientists, engineers and STEM leaders. Enrollment applications are currently being accepted. Call Janice Jackson at 252.520.4536 for more information.