Over the last nearly two decades of my career with the Times News, I have covered the Carbon County community, from graduations and school board meetings, to the Senior Games and everything in between.

But one program has always stood out as a testament to the commitment of this area to our children’s future so that they can SHINE brightly on the world and make it a better place.

But now, the SHINE afterschool program may soon be extinguished for reasons I don’t really understand other than robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The program has a proven track record of improving the lives of children from underserved and underfunded communities. It has been a model for other programs nationally.

The money that is greatly needed to keep the lights on for hundreds of kids in our area who benefit from afterschool, hands-on learning is being funneled yet again out of the area and into the hands of better funded communities.

Last week, several area legislators and SHINE officials met to stand together and urge the Department of Education to keep the funding coming to the SHINE and ACHIEVE afterschool programs that serve Carbon, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Wayne and Pike counties.

These programs help students who have been struggling academically succeed and provide support in STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, state Sen. David Argall said.

This move hurts families by taking away child care in the afternoon hours so that parents can work to provide food on the table and a roof over their heads.

It hurts the children by taking away a safe place where they can get a meal that they may not get otherwise, as well as the additional help they need to succeed.

In the Panther Valley area alone, the SHINE program has helped hundreds, if not thousands of children over the last 20 years.

Rachel Strucko, director of SHINE in Carbon and Schuylkill counties, whose mother was a driving force behind the SHINE model, said the cuts will really hit the already at-risk communities she serves, which are dealing with food insecurity, transportation and homelessness.

“A quality afterschool program is one way to combat a lot of the issues that we’re struggling with in Carbon and Schuylkill counties,” she said.

This is another slap in the face to the region as schools remain underfunded.

So as I write this, I find myself getting angry with those who have made this decision.

This financial move feels like they are saying this area’s children are not deserving of the same quality of education better funded districts are able to give.

Our children are the future and without funding for quality programs like SHINE and a proper education in our public school system, the future of this country will look a little dimmer and a lot sadder.