Alvin Community College regents OK sale of Pearland Center
Alvin Community College Board of Regent Chair Mike Pyburn signed documents on July 27 for the $1.25 million sale of the Pearland Center to Grand Cornerstone Development.
“While the Pearland Center served both students and the community well during its 15 years of operation, it was evident from the attendance patterns that our focus needed to shift back to our main campus as well as the rapidly growing western portion of our district,” Pyburn said.
“We are glad that this non-producing asset will be repurposed and become the cornerstone of the Old Town Pearland redevelopment that will be enjoyed by the citizens of Pearland for decades to come.”
Pyburn said officials also are excited that sale proceeds will enable the college to strengthen its Institional Reserve account and potentially fund other projects.
Regents hired Keller Williams to provide assistance to sell the center in 2014. The college stopped offering classes in 2013 after dual-credit and other courses were offered at Pearland Independent School District’s Turner College and Career High School.
ACC opened the center at 2319 N. Grand Blvd. in 1998 to to offer Continuing Education, technical programs, health care programs and basic credit and dual-credit courses.
The center worked with Texas State Technical College to provide workforce training. ACC also created a partnership with the University of HoustonClear Lake in 2004 to teach courses at the center for students in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Alvin groups organize school supplies drive
Two years ago, the Alvin Independent School District, The Thelma Ley Family YMCA, Alvin Family Community Center and the First Presbyterian Church of Alvin joined forces to distribute school supplies to area students more smoothly and without waste. This collaborative effort resulted in more than 1,000 children being served, rather than the 400 to 500 reached in previous years.
Last year, the collaborative efforts combined to provide backpacks and school supplies to more than 1,600 students.
The groups are again joining forces. The School Supply Fair will be 9 a.m.noon Saturday, Aug. 13, at G.W. Harby Junior High, 1500 Heights Road, Alvin.
Parents need to go their children’s school, request a school supply voucher, and then bring it to the Aug. 15 event where they will receive their school supplies and a backpack.
Organizers anticipate a shortage of certain supplies this year, especially backpacks. People able to help with supplies or to volunteer their time are asked to contact Cathy Woitena at the Thelma Ley YMCA, 281-585-3112; Bel Sanchez at Alvin Family Community in Schools, 281-968-7133 or Gina Ruskey at First Presbyterian Church, 281-585-3406. UH-Clear Lake gets Second Chance grant
University of HoustonClear Lake recently became one of 67 colleges and universities selected to participate in the Department of Education’s new Second Chance Pell pilot program.
The program will test whether participation in high-quality education programs increases after expanding access to financial aid for incarcerated individuals. It will allow eligible incarcerated Americans to receive Pell Grants and pursue postsecondary education.
For information, email powers@uhcl.edu or call 281-283-3385.