Galion City School District will receive a total of $600,000 in grants for its ROAR programs. Galion Primary and Elementary schools will each see their $200,000 grants renewed for the third year in a row, and Galion High School will receive a $200,000 grant for the first time to establish a ROAR program.
The grants, submitted in collaboration with Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC), are provided by the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). The 21st CCLC grant program provides opportunities for children who come from economically disadvantaged families to receive academic and positive youth development supports. These programs must focus on helping students meet state and local standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math, and offering students a broad array of enrichment activities that complement their regular academic programs.
The Galion ROAR program — Resources, Opportunities, Achievement & Readiness — is a before and after school program that focuses on increasing proficiency in literacy and math.
“The Galion ROAR programs are an integral part of our students’ STEM learning,” said Galion Superintendent Jennifer Allerding. “Receiving these grants allows our dedicated teachers and students to continue growing our program, providing hands-on learning in a fun and supportive environment.”
ROAR programs allow for interactive and experiential learning, with students also receiving tutoring and support from teachers and ROAR staff. Galion Middle School students are able to get a taste for robotics with Sphero robots and are often visited by guest speakers.
Violeta Chinni, ROAR coordinator, said the students really like the extra help with homework and learning more about STEM subjects.
“In many ways, our ROAR program succeeds only when our teachers and staff utilize community resources to help our students succeed,” Chinni said. “Thanks to that collaboration, we’ve seen students increase their reading and math levels and gain a new appreciation for school.”