WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Congressman Dan Boren announced today the award of a $199,251, 3-year grant to Tahlequah Public Schools. The $597,753 in total funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Mentoring Grant Program.
“I am pleased this funding is headed to Tahlequah,” Boren said. “It will greatly assist the school system provide Tahlequah children some extra assistance and attention outside of the classroom. The relationships that mentors have with children give them another positive adult interaction so they can focus on important adolescent curriculum.”
Tahlequah Public Schools will be utilizing the grants to continue their partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs and several other community-based mentor programs to expand the number of mentors available to schoolchildren. According to school officials, Tahlequah Public Schools will seek to add some 100 new mentors for schoolchildren grades 4 through 8.
“This grant is another example of the school district’s on-going effort to remove barriers to learning for schoolchildren here in Tahlequah,” said Superintendent Paul Hurst. “I would like to thank our staff for working diligently to expand opportunities for our children. We look forward to working with Congressman Boren on future educational opportunities.”
The mentor projects are designed to assist children in receiving support and guidance from a mentor, to improve the academic performance of the children, to improve interpersonal relationships, to reduce the dropout rate of the children, and to reduce the children’s juvenile delinquency.
In 2007, the Department of Education awarded 198 grants across the nation at a total of $29,347,000.
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