Grant provides for the creation of a financial learning lab at East CLC and wraparound services within the East CLC cluster
The KeyBank Foundation today announced that it would award a $500,000 grant to United Way of Summit County. The grant will provide for the creation of a finance-focused hands-on learning center at East CLC and the delivery of wraparound services within the East CLC cluster of Akron Public Schools. Wraparound services are student and family supports integrated with and delivered directly within the schools. By targeting the needs of individual children and families, wraparound services take pressure off educators to address social and non-academic barriers to student learning.
The KeyBank Foundation grant will provide for the creation of a financial learning lab at East CLC. In keeping with the experiential learning focus of the College and Career Academies of Akron, the goal of this lab will be to give students access to real financial technology that would typically be found in a banking center.
A portion of the grant will also fund the creation of a wraparound services coordinator position serving elementary-level community learning centers in the East cluster. This United Way of Summit County staff member will direct the delivery of programs and support services to students and their families. These services may include family engagement, adult education, extended learning, mentoring, child nutrition programs, health and social services programs and more.
Superintendent of Akron Public Schools David W. James talked about the significance of the bank’s contribution saying, “KeyBank is investing in our students, educators and schools in ways that are both supportive and inspirational. Early supports will help prepare kids so they can be here to be part of the exciting possibilities of our College & Career Academies. We and our families are grateful for their partnership.”
The $500,000 investment will serve as a launching point for KeyBank’s further engagement with Akron Public Schools as it works to ensure that students graduate with in-demand skills.
“We are thrilled to partner with the United Way and Akron Public Schools on the College & Career Academies and wrap around services,” said Timothy Burke, KeyBank Akron Market President. “Through this program, children will receive the individual support, the tools and training they need to adequately prepare them for the workforce.”
Last year, Akron Public Schools announced that United Way of Summit County would work to broker partnerships between the College & Career Academies of Akron and local businesses. These partnerships will help provide hands-on learning experiences, build relationships between students and positive adult role models, improve graduation rates and support positive outcomes after graduation.
2018 marks United Way’s 100th anniversary in Summit County. The KeyBank donation will in part serve as a centennial gift to the organization – both a commemoration of United Way’s long history of service and a vote of confidence in its ongoing work to expand educational opportunities for local students in accordance with its Bold Goals by 2025.
“We are extremely grateful to KeyBank for making this extraordinary investment in our community,” said Jim Mullen, president and CEO of United Way of Summit County. “The future of Greater Akron depends on having a skilled, competitive workforce that can innovate and drive our economy forward. By helping to break down barriers to education with wraparound services and by giving students career-relevant experience, KeyBank is making sure that local students will leave school with the skills they need to build successful careers and support healthy families.”