Gov. Blagojevich announces $20.5 Million for Teen REACH after school grants

SPRINGFIELD - As Illinois students begin to go back to school, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $20.5 million in grants for Teen REACH after school programs for Illinois youth.  Established by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in 1998, Teen REACH (Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring and Hope) offers positive services and activities for youth between the ages of 6 and 17 during non-school hours.  One-hundred twenty-two community-based organizations throughout the state will receive the funding for fiscal year 2006.

 

"We know that kids are most likely to get in trouble after school when they aren't under the supervision of a parent or responsible adult.  That's why it's important that we give young people a safe place to be when school is out and their parents are working," said Gov. Rod Blagojevich.  "The Teen REACH program has been successful in giving thousands of youth safe and educational after school alternatives that have helped them stay on the right track in school and in life."  

 

Teen REACH services include:  improving academic performance; life skills education; parental and community involvement; recreation, sports, cultural and artistic activities; and positive adult mentors.  

 

"More than one million school-age children in Illinois live in families where the sole parent or both parents work," said IDHS Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D.  "The hours from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. can be the toughest hours during the day for many of our youth. During these hours after school, many children are left alone because their parents or guardians are working outside the home."

 

Mounting evidence shows that how children occupy their time during non-school hours is directly related to their ability to achieve in school and contribute to society.  A number of studies have found that children who attend quality after-school programs have better peer relations, emotional adjustment, school grades and conduct than their peers who are unsupervised after school (Posner & Vandell, 1994; Baker and Witt, 1995).

 

"It's important for Teen REACH programs to fit the needs of their individual communities," Adams said.  "So new this year are Teen REACH 'Focus' grants that support highly focused initiatives such as music production, gender specific programming or worldview programming."

 

"There are over 40 active street gangs in Humboldt Park making life unbearable for many families. Recruitment is a daily activity for them and there is a great need to keep our youth away from the dangers of gangs, violence, and drugs. Parents need to know that their children are safe at all times," said Freddy Calixto, of BUILD Inc. in Chicago. "The BUILD's Teen REACH program in Humboldt Park not only provides a safe environment for the youth when they are out of school, it provides academic assistance to ensure educational success of all program participants as well as life skills and recreational activities that that teach our youth to be successful in school, work and play."

 

Following is a list of the Teen REACH grants for FY 06.