A big boon for Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. Last month the clinic was awarded a $2.5 million, five-year grant from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The grant will help establish three learning centers: McClure Elementary School in Grandview, Chief Kamiakin Elementary School in Sunnyside, and Mt. Adams Middle and High School in White Swan. The grant will also be used in continuing the 21st Century After School program at Harrah Elementary School, in Harrah.
“Our programs serve more than 1,500 students each year, this new grant will allow us to add 560 youth to our programs,” Program Coordinator for Northwest Community Action Center Beth Monfils said. Northwest Community Action Center is a division of Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic.
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic currently has 14 after school sites in the Lower Yakima Valley between Harrah and Grandview.
This grant was given in response to a partnership between NCAC, the Grandview, Sunnyside, and Mt. Adams school districts. The federal grants, which are part of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, are highly competitive. The money provides out-of-school time academic enrichment opportunities to students in 54 states and territories.
“Supporting student success is what we are about with our 21st Century after school and summer programs,” Monfils said. “We are thrilled to be able to reach even more students this year.”
In addition to support for core academic subjects, 21st Century Community Learning Centers also provide students with a variety of other activities, such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and  Math),  mentoring, service learning , music,  career development, and character education programs.

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