Corbin Afterschool Program Wins National Award for Improving Literacy Skills

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Afterschool Alliance today presented the second Dollar General Afterschool Literacy Award to the Corbin, Kentucky-based Redhound Enrichment Afterschool Program. The program is being honored for its excellence in providing year-round literacy support to improve the reading, writing and critical thinking skills of its students. The Afterschool Alliance presented the award, made possible by generous support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, at the National AfterSchool Association's annual convention in Orlando, Florida.

Karen West, executive director of Redhound Enrichment and curriculum supervisor for Corbin Independent Schools, accepted the award, including the $10,000 prize, on behalf of the program.

"The Corbin Independent School District is honored to have Redhound Enrichment selected as the winner of this year's Dollar General Literacy Award," West said. "Like the many 21st Century Community Learning Centers across the country, this program makes a tremendous impact on the lives of students. We recognize that sound literacy skills are the cornerstone of future success and sincerely appreciate both our Dollar General stores and the Afterschool Alliance for their support for literacy initiatives."

"For more than two decades, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has been committed to enhancing literacy and education in the communities we serve," said Dollar General's senior director of Community Initiatives, Denine Torr. "We are delighted to present Redhound Enrichment with our 2016 award, which is providing vitally important literacy and life skills support to the students it serves. This impact is helping change the lives and futures of these students."

West said the program will use the funds for professional development and literacy instruction for its staff. Redhound Enrichment provides daily tutoring, academic reinforcement, and enrichment opportunities for K-12 students each day. The program is focusing on students' academic, social and physical wellbeing. The afterschool program has a strong relationship with the Corbin School District and builds on school-day lessons with a project-based learning model that supplements but does not replicate the school day. Redhound Enrichment, which began in 1991, has grown from serving 100 students at one site to serving more than 1,300 students at three sites.

Redhound Enrichment is featured in an Afterschool Alliance Issue Brief on the ways afterschool programs benefit students, from elementary school through high school. The Afterschool Alliance's Issue Brief series examines the role of afterschool programs in addressing a variety of contemporary issues facing youth, schools and communities.

"We are very proud to be able to work with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation again this year to highlight the ways afterschool programs improve literacy among students and support their families," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "The hours after school are a crucial time for students and afterschool programs, in Corbin and around the country, can make an enormous difference, keeping students safe, inspiring them to learn, and helping working families. Redhound Enrichment is a shining example."

Last year, the Afterschool Alliance gave the first-ever Dollar General Afterschool Literacy Award to New American Pathways' Bright Futures Afterschool Program, which is based in Atlanta.

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs.  More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

About Dollar General Literacy Foundation
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support initiatives that help others improve their lives through literacy and education as part of the company's mission of Serving Others for over 20 years.  Since its inception in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $110 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 6.8 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education. For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.  

SOURCE Afterschool Alliance

Related Links

http://www.afterschoolalliance.org