April and May were full of good news and celebrations in Yancey County Schools. As a difficult school year came to a close, YCS continued to receive special sources of funding to enhance current programs, mitigate the effects of Hurricane Helene and repair athletic facilities.
First, Yancey County Schools is proud to announce the award of a SERV (School Emergency Response to Violence) Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant supports educational services that assist school districts in recovering from traumatic events that disrupt the learning environment. In response to the significant instructional time lost—approximately seven weeks—due to Hurricane Helene, YCS will utilize the $464,000 in funding to expand academic tutoring, enhance summer school offerings, and strengthen mental health support services for students through the next school year. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Cox shared, “As a school district, we are so excited and grateful to be a recipient of this grant award. These funds will allow YCS to provide opportunities that support our students with additional tutoring and mental health services. Tutoring and mental health services collaboratively strengthen the overall wellbeing of our students by helping them to thrive in multiple ways so we are extremely appreciative to the US Department of Education for their partnership.”
YCS also recently received the 21st Century Grant from the Community Foundation of WNC. Director of Elementary Education Andrea Allen stated, “We are thrilled to receive the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, which underscores our commitment to providing enriching academic and extracurricular opportunities for our students. This funding will enable us to extend learning beyond the classroom, offering a safe and supportive environment where students can thrive academically and personally. We look forward to collaborating with our community partners to make a lasting impact on our students’ futures.” Mrs. Allen will use the $1.5 million over the next three years to continue afterschool and summer enrichment programs that support academic opportunities during non-school hours to approximately 300 students each year.
Finally, the Braves Project has awarded a $55,900 grant to MHHS to repair the baseball and softball fields. “This grant will enable the high school fields to be in great condition not only for our student athletes but also for Yancey County Youth League players,” stated Kristin Buchanan, Director of Student Services. “With many of our recreational fields being lost, it is vitally important that all remaining fields be available to our community.” The funds will be used for softball fencing repairs, two scoreboards, one outfield baseball windscreen, two Braves Park Project softball windscreen overlays, two batting cage nets, one portable pitching mound and two L-screen nets.
