A pair of local schools get a helping hand

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — The federal government has renewed a grant of more than $1 million to two schools in San Luis, Ariz., for after-school academic programs for students.

The grant, given through the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, will be split by San Luis Middle School and Southwest Junior High School over the next five years.

The program provides funding to offer tutoring in such subjects as math, reading, writing and science, as well as other after-school academic programs.

The two schools are among eight in the district that have applied for and received the grant, the money from which is disbursed to them over five-year periods. The district covers San Luis and neighboring Gadsden.

Aside from tutoring, the Gadsden schools have used the money for such purposes as preparing students for the Yuma County Spelling Bee, the Odyssey of the Mind problem-solving competition and a variety of other extracurricular activities with an academic focus.

“There are many things that happen with this grant, and that's why were so excited to get it renewed,” said Deanna Aguilera, the district's director of grants and school effectiveness.

San Luis Middle School and Southwest Junior High will each receive $120,000 for each of the next three years, followed by $90,000 in the fourth year and $60,000 in the final year. After that, they will have to reapply if they want to continue receiving the money.

Recent years have seen competition increase among schools around the nation that seek the grant, Aguilera said.

According to the Education Department's website, the program funds “community learning centers” or after-school tutoring programs in math, reading and other core academic subjects to elementary school-age children to complement their regular classroom instruction.

The district began receiving grants through the program five years ago, with San Luis Middle School and Southwest Junior High School being the first recipients among Gadsden schools. Other schools in the district have received the grant since then.