Life briefs: Summer learning programs, Shelby student recognized, FFA student loans and more
MOESC touts READY FOR HIRE summer programs
In June, the Ohio Department of Education awarded $89 million in Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities Grants to 161 community-based partners. The Department received more than 700 applications from across the state. Locally, $1.9 million was awarded in two grants to SPARC, one to create summer programming in summer 2022, 2023 and 2024 and and one to create after school programming, with fiscal oversight from Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center. That program started this summer at F.I.R.S.T. School and Abraxas.
The READY FOR HIRE Summer Program offered a variety of career readiness activities customized to each students’ needs. Three primary activities were provided career Internships with a local employer, career institutes with a local employer and career seminars. The seminars offered a wide range of activities.
Amy Wood, Mid-Ohio ESC’s director of Grants and Special Projects said what was most exciting about this summersession was gaining the ability to build on the strengths of what took place for the larger rollout of the READY FORHIRE program among all Mid-Ohio partner districts.
"The summer program provided a wide variety of career readiness programming and customized opportunities for students to explore their strengths and interests in career pathways," said Wood. "The successes of the summer program will be used to build a robust after school career readiness program that meets the unique needs of students in participating school districts in Richland, Morrow and Crawford counties."
National honor for Shelby student
Alexis McClain, a senior at Shelby High School, has been selected as a National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) Commended Student. McClain's preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) was one of the top 50,000 scores across the country. There are about 34,000 students recognized as a Commended Student.
McClain received a certificate from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as well as a congratulatory letter from the school.
Funding for FFA students available
LOUDONVILLE — Area FFA students planning for their SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) projects are encouraged to apply for funding through the SAE Start-Up Loan program to help with the costs associated with these projects. Active FFA students enrolled in Clear Fork, Lucas, Loudonville, Hillsdale, Triway, West Holmes and Danville High Schools are eligible for financial assistance.
All ownership-based SAE’s that are approved by the student’s FFA advisor can qualify for a start-up loan, which can be used to cover a variety of costs unique to each SAE — giving examples such as the purchase of a market hog, feed, and show equipment for those raising livestock, purchase of lawn mowers, other equipment, and even gasoline for those doing landscaping, seeds and potting soil for those with plant-based projects, and more. Funding can be used for all direct costs associated with the project, including marketing, but cannot be used to pay salaries or outstanding debts.
The SAE Start-Up Loan program was developed in 2020 by the Loudonville FFA Alumni & Supporters in partnership with Park National Bank who administers the accounts and assists students with handling loan payments. Students are eligible for loans up to $500, with a simple 5% interest applied to the loan (for a maximum interest of $25 over the life of the loan). Interest that is collected is immediately reinvested into the funding pool for future loans.
Applications for fall funding are due Oct. 1 or students working on summer projects also can apply by April 1. Summer funding is also available to incoming freshmen if they participated in FFA as eighth graders.
For more information or to download an application, visit loudonvilleffa.com/loans. For more information, email alumni@loudonvilleffa.com.
Local Farm Bureau leaders visit lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
In mid-September, more than 100 Ohio Farm Bureau members, including Richland County Farm Bureau President Loren Hulit, traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit face-to-face with lawmakers about issues that could have major implications to Farm Bureau members across Ohio.
This year’s trip to the nation’s capital included county Farm Bureau presidents and vice presidents along with Ohio Farm Bureau Young Ag Professionals and members of the AgriPOWER Class XIII leadership institute.
Topics covered during Hulit’s visit with U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs and U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson on Capitol Hill included the 2023 Farm Bill, operational costs associated with inflation and supply chain breakdowns, climate change and impacts of EPA limiting agriculture technology approvals.
Ohio Farm Bureau leaders also heard from Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown, as well as many members of Congress, during a Farm Forum hosted by Reps. Gibbs and Balderson.
Percy Hall Dance Orchestra to perform in Ashland
The Percy Hall Dance Orchestra, led by trombonist John Hall, will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 for Ashland's Big Bands & All That Jazz Society. This will be the band's second appearance for the jazz society and will surely be a highlight of this year's concerts.
Joining John Hall will be saxophonists Tom Reed, Tom Long and Logan Moore; as well as, bassist Paul Martin, drummer Steve Berry, and pianist McCray Martin. The band will perform the great hits from the big band era and popular jazz standards.
This concert is free and open to the public; donations accepted. The concert will be held at the First Christian Church at 1425 King Road, Ashland.
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: MOESC touts summer learning programs, Shelby student honored
