Ohio University's local outreach efforts recently received a half-million-dollar boost.
The U.S. Department of Education awarded Ohio University a $468,000 grant to aid local underprivileged children, primarily in Trimble township.
OU's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs and College of Health Sciences and Professions, the principle recipients, will work together to provide services for students from “cradle to career,” according to a university news release.
“We are very excited to help lead this effort to better understand and respond to the needs of the children of Trimble township,” said Randy Leite, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions, in the release. “This is a wonderful manifestation of our college’s commitment to reach out to the underserved.”
More than a dozen local agencies will contribute to this project, as well as OU's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kids on Campus in the College of Health Sciences and Professions and the Edward Stevens Literacy Center in the Patton College of Education.
The grant is part of a national project called Promise Neighborhoods. The program’s purpose is “to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth in our most distressed communities,” according to the Department of Education's website.
University officials hope to help children flourish in their current situations. The different contributors will be working to improve education, healthcare, parenting techniques and employment opportunities for adults, Leite said.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Trimble Local School District to… [overcome] the realities of the local economy and succeed in life,” said Barry Oches, senior research assistant at the Voinovich school and co-author of the grant, in the release.
Trimble Township’s high poverty and unemployment rates made the area a prime candidate for the national program. Out of 233 applicants, 20 neighborhoods were chosen. Trimble was one of only three rural areas to be funded this year.
During this planning year, the collaborating organizations will identify ways to help children living in the villages of Jacksonville, Trimble and Glouster. These solutions are aimed toward getting students through both high school and college and then on to successful careers. At the end of the year, they will seek additional funding.
The College of Health Sciences and Professions will coordinate the planning process. Its Kids on Campus after-school and summer programs will be critical components of the project, according to the release.
The Voinovich School will work on needs assessment, data collection, analysis and evaluation.
Students may have the opportunity to get involved with this project as early as winter quarter, Leite said.
The Voinovich School will be hiring a program director in January. This director will be in charge of gathering a staff of employees and volunteers. Students can also work with any of the program’s partners, such as OU-HCOM's Community Health Programs and the Stevens Literacy Center.
bl171210@ohiou.edu
