Pam Colwell, (left) Human Resources Director at Cerro Wire in Crothersville, presents a check for $500 to Girls Inc. Director Brenda Tracy to help continue to fund the local after school program for elementary girls. Also pictured in Crothersville Elementary Principal Chris Marshall.
An after-school program for elementary girls got a financial boost recently to help continue to added educational time.
Cerro Wire of Crothersville presented a $500 check to Girls Inc. earlier this month.
Girls Inc. provides after school instructional help with homework, aid with life skills and exposes young girls to new career opportunities, said Brenda Tracy of Girls Inc.
Currently 14 girls in Kindergarten through grade 5 take part in the additional education time from 3-4:30 p.m., according to Crothersville Elementary Principal Chris Marshall.
“Girls get help with homework and life skills,” said Marshall. “In this economy some students get home to an empty house because parents are working. This program gives them supervision and help with their homework.”
“And it gives girls exposure to skills needed throughout life that busy parents may not think about,” added Tracy.
She added that the post-school program also focuses on math and science, typically disciplines which girls don’t think they can do.
“But the after school program shows them the value of math and science in careers like engineering and medicine,” she said.
Matt Otte is the after school tutor and life skills coach.
Marshall said that federal budget cuts prompted the need for additional local dollars to make such extra-curricular educational programs continue.
“Both state and federal budgets have cut funding for schools,” he said. “It is because of civic involvement and contributions such as the one by Cerro Wire that we can continue these needed programs.”
Marshal noted that about $3,000 is needed to cover the cost of the Girls Inc. program for the remainder of the school year.
