Reidland Middle needs your vote to retain 21st Century Program

By DAVID B. SNOW dsnow@paducahsun.com

Reidland Middle School is in a good position to be one of 40 projects to earn a $25,000 grant through State Farm Insurance’s Neighborhood Assist program, but it is not a done deal, and you can help it finish strong.

The school’s 21st Century Program is the proposed project to earn the $25,000 grant. Those are usually after-school programs that help teachers reach students who don’t generally socialize or who need help with classwork.

The 21st Century Program helps build relationships as well as social skills and emotional wellbeing. Very often, programs include clubs or sports, but may include activities such as working in a greenhouse.

Reidland Middle School has had a 21st Century Program in place for the last 10 years, funded through grants in two five-year cycles. Those grants have run out, and now, the program may be lost.

Brent Buchanan, the director of district-wide programs for the McCracken County School District, said the program is very beneficial to participating students at every level.

“We have many students who — over the past several years — have attended our after-school programs that were started by a 21st Century grant,” he said. “They provide services for academics, the arts and other cultural enrichment opportunities.”

Buchanan said the 21st Century Program is twofold in what it provides to students, with focuses on academics as well as socialization, self esteem and relationships.

“Reading, math and science become the major academic areas that we focus on for students to improve,” he said. “They usually spend an hour after school with supports from certified teachers, like tutoring.

“The next part of the program is clubs and anything where we’ve got a volunteer in our community come in. It may be 4-H, it may be someone who has a program teaching archery or it could be that it’s a club that involves drones and piloting drones.”

Buchanan said the socialization is important for any student.

“They get to form groups and spend time together (in 21st Century Programs),” he said. “There’s even a social-emotional piece to it that they’re going to be adding to it this year.

“Hopefully, as we’re partnering with another program or grant that we receive through our Family Resource and Youth Service Centers where they can speak with counselors and spend time with counselors if they need individual or small groups as well.”

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Leaderboard, RMS 21st Century Programs is in 23rd place among 200 qualifying projects nationwide, with the top 40 vote-getting projects earning the $25,000 grants.

People have until 11 p.m. Central Time Friday to vote for projects to earn the $25,000 grants.

To vote in the State Farm Neighborhood Grant program, go to neighborhoodassist.com.

The 40 projects that won Neighborhood Assist grants will be posted to that website at 8 a.m. CT on Sept. 29.