Funding Will Expand After-School and Summer School Learning and Enrichment Opportunities
Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle (BGCNR) has been awarded nearly $4.5 million for after-school and summer school programs in New Rochelle. The programs will serve students in the New Rochelle School District from Albert E. Leonard and Isaac E. Young middle schools and New Rochelle High School.
“My top priority has always been centering kids and their futures in everything we do,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D (NY-16). “I am incredibly proud to see this partnership between the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle and the City School District of New Rochelle supported through $4.5 million federal dollars. Truly empowering our youth requires the full investment of our schools and community partners such as the Boys and Girls Club. The partnership we see here today is a prime example of the comprehensive approach outlined in my bill, the Green New Deal for Public Schools, on how we can fully support students academically. I look forward to working with New Rochelle more to invest in our children and empowering the next generation to excel holistically.”
The grants will be distributed to BGCNR in payments of $911,732 per year through June 2027 to provide innovative programs designed to empower local youth to excel in school, become good citizens, and lead healthy, productive lives. The 21st Century award is an important step in BGCNR’s ongoing fundraising efforts to expand the scope and breadth of its youth development services in the City of New Rochelle.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I applaud this partnership between the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle and the City School District of New Rochelle for this joint program that will continue expanding educational opportunities for our students. This grant from Representative Bowman will go a long way to ensuring that middle and high school students will have access to after-school and summer school programs to help them learn, play, and grow up in a safe environment, and to guide them toward a successful future. I have always supported educational funding for children, and I’ve seen how important these programs are to New Rochelle’s youth, that’s why I was glad to help secure funding for the Boys and Girls Club with $60,000 in special legislative grants.”
State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I am thrilled that the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle has been selected to receive this after-school and summer school funding. Investing in our adolescents and teens and creating spaces that positively engage them after school and throughout the summer yield positive outcomes for our entire community. I thank my colleagues, district, community, and federal partners for their continued advocacy for quality afterschool programs like this one.”
BGCNR anticipates that 450 City School District of New Rochelle middle and high school students will benefit from the after-school and summer school enrichment. Parent and student voice will be a key component of the program, which will center on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and keep students engaged beyond the school day. After-school opportunities will be provided for 15 hours a week for 32 weeks of the regular school year and there will be six weeks of summer school offerings. In addition to academic and enrichment opportunities, the programs will help families navigate the college application process, financial aid, and explore alternative career paths.
“The Boys & Girls Club is extremely grateful to be able to reach more youth in our schools, clubhouses, and community by providing a continuum of achievement-driven programming and youth services,” said Becky Mazzanobile, BGCNR CEO. “Our middle and high school students – especially – need safe spaces and opportunities to access social and emotional supports from caring adults, which we now are able to provide by partnering with the School District of New Rochelle. Our youth have asked us for welcoming, fun, learning environments, and we’re grateful to the School District of New Rochelle, state and local representatives, community leaders, and parents for collaborating to make this happen for club members, families, and New Rochelle as a whole.”
“The City School District of New Rochelle is so appreciative that our students will benefit from the strong community partnership we share with the Boys & Girls Club in serving students and families,” said CSDNR Superintendent Jonathan Raymond. “These programs give our students opportunities to explore new interests, get excited about learning, and develop relationships with their peers in a relaxed and enjoyable space.”
Designed to engage, inspire, and empower, the BGCNR programs focus on academic support, health and wellness education, and character and leadership. Parents, students, BGCNR and CSDNR staff, and community members will be invited to participate in the program advisory committee, which will meet quarterly to engage in ongoing and meaningful planning and decisions about program activities.
“We are enormously grateful to receive this highly competitive 21st Century Gran focusing on after-school and summer enrichment programs for our middle school and high school students,” said CSDNR Board of Education President Julia Muggia Ochs. “I thank our superintendent, Jonathan Raymond, for prioritizing and leveraging community relationships, including our relationship with our long-time partner The Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle in service to our students.”
The New York State Department of Education is administering the federal grant funds. NYSED awarded grants through a competitive, peer-reviewed process, funding school districts with high percentages of disadvantaged students.
About the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle
Founded in 1929, Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle has been an integral part of the New Rochelle community offering its youth safe and achievement-driven programming focused on the whole child, encompassing academics, mental wellness, fitness, leadership, and
civics. Today, it serves nearly 3,000 youth and 1,000 members each year, at various school sites and two clubhouse locations, offering them a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals, life-enhancing programs and character development experiences, and hope and opportunity.
About the City School District of New Rochelle
With 10,000 students in 10 schools, the City School District of New Rochelle, through an active partnership among community, parents, staff, and students, provides a high-quality and challenging education for every child, in a safe, nurturing environment that embraces rich diversity and drives success.