A program that provides added staffing support in some city classrooms received a federal funding boost. U.S. Congressman Brian Higgins delivered a more than $3.4 million federal grant to The Service Collaborative of Western New York for the AmeriCorps Builds Lives through Education, known as ABLE. ABLE members will provide social, emotional and behavior assistance in classrooms.
“I grew up in the same neighborhoods as a lot of the people we serve, the students that we serve and I have firsthand knowledge of the environmental struggles that can sometimes make learning difficult,” said Leslie Soules, ABLE member. Soules has worked with students at the Health Sciences Charter School in Buffalo.
This federal grant will allow for the placement of 80-full-time AmeriCorps members to tutor and mentor students for the upcoming school year.
Most recently the program has been working about nine schools, Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (Westminster Community Charter School and Highgate Heights Elementary School), Cradle Beach (will place members in two district schools), Enterprise Charter School, Health Science Charter School, King Center Charter School, New Creation Fellowship of Buffalo, South Buffalo Charter School, Tapestry Charter School and Westminster Economic Development Initiative.
“Often in the classroom you have behavioral issues, and there’s just so many students the teacher just can’t address everything all at once and still try to teach. For having an ABLE member in the classroom, allows for her to continue to teaching while we’re helping to work with behaviors and emotional needs of the students,” explained Soules.
Melissa Schutte is Director of the ABLE program. “It’s a social emotional intervention called Positive Actions,” said Schutte. “They have a manual and there’s lessons that they will do with the students two to three times a week. They’re about 15-minutes long. They focus on character development, relationship building, healthy living, and healthy eating.”
A few more schools and after school programs have been added for the new 2016-17 school year: Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (Westminster Community Charter School and Highgate Heights Elementary School), Charter School of Inquiry, Computers for Children, Cradle Beach (Loraine Academy and Southside Elementary School), Elmwood Village Charter School,
Enterprise Charter School, Health Sciences Charter School, Jericho Road Ministries FLY afterschool program, King Center Charter School, Native American Community Services (Native American Magnet School), Our Lady of Black Rock School, Peace of the City afterschool program and Tapestry Charter School.
Schutte said they’re still working to secure new partners, but are expecting to serve up to 2,400 students for the new school year.
“The members are full-time, so they are there at the school every day, all day, after school, before school,” Schutte remarked.
ABLE members will be paid a living allowance during their term of service totaling $12,100 and will receive an education award at the completion of $5,730
Service Collaborative Executive Director Kate Sarata appeared with ABLE members Congressman Higgins outside their office on Michigan Avenue in downtown Buffalo. Sarata explained the ABLE program is not new to western New York, the federal grant will provide newer interventions in the classrooms.
'It's an opportunity that is not taken lightly and it's something that will really provide a lot of benefit and support to students," noted Sarata.
Higgins praised the organization in working to secure the federal funding when resources are limited resources.
"These funds are highly, highly competitive and this speaks to the extraordinary work that Katie is doing here," stated Congressman Higgins.
AmericCorps Buffalo Lives through Education will be holding open interviews to recruit new ABLE members, Tuesday, August 9th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Applicants are asked to bring a resume and contact information for two references.
