School District, City Receive Grant Money

LINCOLN — The Consolidated School District and the City of Lincoln were recently awarded $8,644 for a joint use agreement.

A joint use agreement refers to a school forming an ongoing partnership with one or more entities, organizations or cities to share indoor or outdoor space in order to meet shared goals and community needs, according to Rhonda Hulse, city grant writer.

Hulse said this particular agreement will allow the City of Lincoln and the school district to jointly use field space to increase opportunities for physical activity through a youth soccer program.

The funds were allocated from the Arkansas Tobacco Excise Tax through the Arkansas Department of Education Coordinated School Health Department. The grant funds will be combined with appropriations from the City of Lincoln to begin an intramural and inter-league soccer program for boys and girls.

The Lincoln Youth Soccer Program will host its first season beginning in mid- September.

Teams will be forming for under 10, under 8, and under 6 divisions. Games will be played on the football field at the Lincoln Middle School campus. Practices will be held on that field as well as the practice field located behind the district administration building, according to Hulse.

Volunteer coaches will be needed, said Hulse. School district personnel will host a coaching clinic for interested persons in late spring. A referee training clinic will also be offered.

Initial sign- ups

for

the soccer program will be in late May, with additional late sign-ups at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.

It is the intention of the school district and the city of Lincoln to expand the program each year to include more age levels, and eventually developing an interscholastic soccer program.

Contact Paul Crouch at pcrouch@ lincoln. k12. ar.us for more information.