Gary students can access $1.15M program

About 750 Gary-area students in grades 1-9 can take part in a state Department of Education $1.15 million summer program aimed at improving reading and math skills.

The Urban League of Northwest Indiana, based in Gary, and DHB & Associates, a local education consulting company, are the grant recipients who will oversee it.

A state release said the Expanding What Works grant represents a new opportunity, aimed at increasing access to a high-quality summer program, for more than 3,000 Indiana students.

Deborah Hendriks Black, of DHB & Associates, said the program will offer about 20 community-based sites with partners such as churches, libraries or other existing tutoring programs, as well as local schools.

It’s one of four in the state to win grants. The others are in South Bend, Wabash and Salem.

The program is based on Indy Summer Reading Labs, launched by the Mind Trust, a nonprofit that aids education initiatives in Indianapolis that targets students with the greatest need. Hendriks Black said the program resulted in academic improvement after two years.

The program is open to traditional public-school students in Gary and Lake Ridge schools, charter schools, private schools and home-schooled children.

Officials at each site will undergo an extensive one-week training with the Lavinia Group, which designed the curriculum to align with Indiana standards.

Urban League executive director Vanessa Allen-McCloud said her organization has a large number of community partners in its outreach data and would be contacting them soon with program information.

“Maximizing student learning requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and what an excellent example the communities of South Bend, Gary, Salem and Wabash are leading to positively impact our students,” said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner.

While the program is geared more toward struggling students, Hendriks Black said no student would be turned away.

For more information, contact Hendriks Black at the Urban League, 219-887 9621 or email: dblack@ ulofnwi.org