Grants to benefit Wayne County youth approved

Grants to benefit Wayne County youth approved
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Wayne Center for the Arts executive director James Fox, left, and Mental Health Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties executive director Judy Wortham Wood pose with Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services administrator Deb Crockett. OhioMHAS recently approved more than $700,000 in grants that will benefit area youth.

                        

Two area organizations will receive more than $700,000 in capital funding with a third organization pending approval, thanks to the efforts of the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties and partners.

"We just received confirmation of funding for the Rittman Schools project, along with approval for the Wayne Center for the Arts," MHRB executive director Judy Wortham Wood said. "The Orrville Boys and Girls Club project is pending approval."

According to a project guideline document, the objective of the $20 million state capital funding effort is "to support the establishment, expansion or renovation of safe and healthy programming spaces for middle- and high-school-age youth to access prosocial activities in the community."

Wood said the State of Ohio would provide 75% of the funding with a 25% local match to establish or expand resiliency programs for community members and at-risk youth.

Programs in the resiliency program must include a combination of at least three of the following elements: tutoring/homework help time; guidance for community resiliency projects; mentoring; support groups/peer support; access to spiritual counsel; prevention programs (evidence-based); life skills; recreational art, music, theater, crafts and such; sports/gross motor activities/exercise; vocational education (exposure to different careers); service-learning and volunteerism opportunities; support education and employment for youths in recovery; suicide prevention; and parent outreach/education.

Rittman Schools will receive $333,750 in state funds (75%) with a local match of $111,250 (25%), and Wayne Center for the Arts will receive $375,000 in state funds (75%) and a local match of $125,000 (25%).

Wayne Center for the Arts executive director James Fox is excited about the opportunity the grant will provide. According to Fox, the grant also will allow for additional programming to take place in the facility, once complete.

"The next step will be the architect interviews," Fox said. "We are going to let them know our budget and what we want to accomplish with the building and see what they come up with. Optimally, we will be able to incorporate a digital arts studio."

Fox also is exploring STEAM classes, summer camps and entrepreneurship programs to be offered.

While the building — to be named the STEAM Factory at Wayne Center for the Arts — is still in the design phase, Fox has devised a solid lineup of activities to offer Wayne County youth.

"We will offer everything from robotics to metalworking," Fox said, "plus classes like woodworking and pottery firings — things we cannot offer in our existing space."

Although the primary use of the building will be for resiliency programming, Fox feels the sooner students get exposed to a variety of educational programs, the better their chance of success will be in their chosen field.

"The idea is to offer something for everyone," Fox said. "This space will help us achieve that goal."

Rittman Schools will offer resiliency programming, and the grant also gives the district an opportunity to introduce new activities to students and to the community.

Amy Wilson, special projects coordinator for the Rittman School District, has plans to begin working with OHuddle to offer a mentorship program.

OHuddle is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “awaken youth to their unique value through hope-filled relationships and one-to-one mentorship,” according to www.ohuddle.org.

“Rittman doesn’t have a Boys and Girls Club,” Wilson said. “This will offer an opportunity for students that aren’t involved with sports a place to go for extra-curricular activities.”

According to Wilson, the 2,000-square-foot building also will benefit the community and allow groups — such as Scouting and senior citizens — to host events.

“This will be, in part, a community building,” Wilson said. “We haven’t set an official programming schedule yet, but the building will allow us to offer social and mental-health programs after school and various programs in the evenings and weekends.”

Dan Starcher is a public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.


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