Southeastern Regional Awarded $25,000 State Enhancement Grant

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School has been awarded a $25,000 After-School and Out-of-School Time (ASOST) Quality Enhancement grant from the Massachusetts Department of Education. Southeastern Regional received the maximum grant amount and is one of 60 organizations in the state to receive the grant.

 The State’s ASOST grant program provides students in grades K-12 with high quality after-school and out-of-school time programs and services. Through these grants, local entities across the Commonwealth are able to enhance ASOST programming that supports the academic, physical, social and emotional wellness of public and non-public school-age youth during the school year and summer months.

 “This is great news for Southeastern, our students and our afterschool partnerships,” said Alex Benedict, director of Extended Day at Southeastern Regional. “It means we can continue to offer great innovative programs that let our students see learning as a lifelong experience. It’s not just about standardized testing and the traditional classroom experience. It’s also about trying new things and finding something you’re passionate about.”

 Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School will enhance two current offerings to their already extensive after school programs:

 Southeastern Regional’s partnership with Fuller Craft Museum will be expanded to offer learning experiences in at least two craft media; ceramics (glass and pottery) and fiber art. Southeastern Regional and Fuller Craft have worked together for the past three years to present after school learning. During this time, artists from Fuller Craft have led classes in jewelry making, pottery and fiber arts, to name a few, and student art work has been exhibited at Southeastern Regional and Fuller Craft Museum.

 Additionally, the Massasoit Community College partnership will evolve to bring a college course in Spanish to Southeastern Regional High School’s Easton campus and Southeastern students will travel to the college campus in Brockton to shadow a student for a day and experience college life.

 The grant will be used to pay for the cost of the Massasoit courses as well as material costs for the Fuller Craft Museum program during the fall and spring semesters.

 According to the Massachusetts Department of Education, 178 FY12 ASOST grant applications were submitted and funding was awarded to 60 public school districts, non-public schools, and community-based organizations along with their partners as they implement activities to improve the quality of after-school and out-of-school time programs during the school year and summer months for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The activities proposed will benefit approximately 15,512 students across the Commonwealth.

 For more information and a complete list of grant awardees go to: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/grants/grants12/awards/530.html