State Senator John Yudichak (D – Luzerne/Carbon) announced today that the Carbon/Schuylkill SHINE after-school program and the Luzerne County SHINE after-school program have received 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant funding for 2019-2024. The federal funding is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) via the 21st CCLC program.

“The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is an essential element of the successful academic outcomes for students in the Carbon/Schuylkill and Luzerne County SHINE programs,” said State Senator John Yudichak. “Quality, STEM-based after-school programs, like SHINE, are expanding in northeastern Pennsylvania as a result of the continued support we have received from our federal legislative delegation and critical funding resources from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.”

SHINE is a nationally recognized after-school program operating in school districts in Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne. The Carbon/Schuylkill SHINE program is administered by the Lehigh Carbon Community College and provides academic support. Wilkes University is the educational host for SHINE of Luzerne County, providing administrative and educational support services for the program. Over a thousand students are involved in the SHINE programs in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Lehigh Carbon Community College will receive $2.6 million as part of Cohort 10 of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant program for 2019-2024. The funding will be used to expand the SHINE after-school program in the Weatherly, Palmerton and Shenandoah School Districts.

“The Lehigh Carbon Community College SHINE Program is excited to partner with the Weatherly, Palmerton and Shenandoah school districts and expand our project-based STEM programming to serve another 175 students,” said Rachel Miller Strucko, a director of SHINE at LCCC.

Additionally, the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance will be receiving $2.3 million in 21st CCLC funds for 2019-2024. They will be replicating the Lehigh Carbon Community College SHINE Program for its rural implementation of their successful SHINE program. The program will serve 270 children annually and they will be partnering with the Luzerne SHINE program at Wilkes University for best practices, guidance and support.

Under the 21st CCLC Cohort 10 grant, PDE awarded 74 new grants for a total of $22 million in 21st CCLC grant funds for 2019-24.