CCIU’s technical, education division gets $550K grant

DOWNINGTOWN » To ensure quality education and human services and to assist educational projects and related services in providing outstanding services to the community, CCRES announced the approval of grant funding for schools, government agencies and non-profit organizations for the 2021-22 year.

As one of the 2021-22 CCRES grant recipients, the

Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) recently received $550,000 to be used for its Practical Nursing Program (PNP) and three Technical College High Schools (TCHS) within its Career, Technical & Customized Education (CTCE) division. The funds granted to CTCE will help fulfill its work to support new programs and opportunities that CTCE has been developing to help enhance the lives of both student and adult learners.

“With the support of these grants, students will have the opportunity to gain experiences that will impact their future career pathways and ultimately the ability to enter postsecondary options, as well as the ever-changing workforce with outstanding foundational knowledge and skills,” said Dr. Kirk Williard, director of CTCE.

Beth Ann Puckett, director of PNP, explained how some of the grant money will be used to help rebuild enrollment within the PNP program, which was negatively impacted due to COVID-19. “The grant from CCRES will help to fund and provide scholarships to qualified practical nursing program applicants who can use the money towards their tuition. It will give students who may have financial challenges the opportunity to pursue a nursing education and achieve their career goals and dreams,” said Puckett.

The CCRES grant will also be utilized for recruitment for existing TCHS programs and to partner with school districts to enroll ninth grade students into TCHS, as TCHS currently does not have ninth grade students enrolled in its programs. “We are appreciative of CCRES for its generosity in helping us provide opportunities for students to learn and grow. The addition of a ninth-grade exploratory program will allow students to learn more about their passions and careers, which will allow them to make a more informed decision about their future goals and pathways,” added Joe Fullerton, assistant director of CTCE.

To learn more about CCRES or its Grant Funding program, visit:www. ccres.org.