CH-UH Receives Grant To Host Arts-Focused Academic Program For Freshmen

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District has received a grant to pay for an afterschool arts program for at-risk freshmen to help with that big transition into high school.

The 21st Century grant funding is from the Ohio Department of Education and will allow the district to partner with Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio to offer and support the program, SHINE!

The district will receive $850,000 over five years to implement and run the program, which will "emphasize arts enrichment to engage students" and "focus on the key areas of increased reading and math achievement, homework completion, youth development, and parent and family skill building and education," according to a press release from the district. 

Up to 50 incoming ninth-graders will be invited to participate in the free program, which will be offered three days after school from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Students will break into small groups to complete homework with the assistance of teachers, aides and volunteers during the first hour on weekdays. The second hour will be devoted to English and Algebra work, and during the final hour, students will work on art projects.

Half of the time on Saturday will be reserved for the arts. SHINE! will offer students a youth development program, Boys Council and Girls Circle, during the second half.

For more information about the program, visit the CH-UH Schools website.