Now in its final year of a five-year grant cycle, the 21st Century Community Learning Center is in peril.
The grant-funded 21st Century Community Learning Center program offers out-of-school-time programming at Boulder Elementary School, Basin Elementary School and Jefferson High. It includes morning tutoring, after school programs, summer programming and family engagement.
The six-week, 20-hour-per-week summer program has been particularly popular, said 21st Century Grant Director Rochelle Hesford. In 2022, Hesford hired five teachers and five aides to oversee more than 100 enrolled students in the course, which is a mix of academics and enrichment activities that includes river days, cultural activities, biking and gardening.
Currently, 21st Century has $7,724.17, which is enough funding to cover three summer session teachers for three weeks. This is not enough, as Hesford expects just as many students – if not more – to enroll for summer 2023. In order to offer the fully-staffed six-week summer course, Hesford said she needs to raise another $23,571 by May.
Hesford said she is currently running a Martinson’s Chocolate fundraiser and has other ideas for funding alternatives, including using a sliding fee scale for enrollment. She’s open to suggestions.
“I can always run off of less, but is the quality of programming going to be as good? I like the student-to-staff ratio to be 10:1,” Hesford said.
Through hands-on, experiential programming, it is the 21st Century Community Learning Center’s mission to “improve academic achievement, strengthen social skills and instill healthy behaviors in each of its students.” The program aspires to “inspire youth to be connected to their community, and mindful citizens of the world, while promoting resiliency through family engagement.”
For the past 20 years, Hesford said this program has done exactly this, and she hopes to continue providing everything the program has to offer.
However, this is easier said than done, as the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant is more competitive than in the past, especially for programs in western Montana.
“There is supposed to be an equal distribution of funds and right now there is not an equal distribution of funds between the eastern and western parts of the state,” Hesford said. “The western part of the state has been a lot more successful with grant proposals.”
Hesford said she remains hopeful for the future of the 21st Century Community Learning Center in Jefferson County. She said she looks forward to working with the community and encourages any interested parties to get in touch with her right away.
“If people want to donate, that’d be great,” Hesford said. “It’s tax deductible to donate to a school.”
For more information, contact Hesford at 406-225-3164.
