The Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families, with partners MCPS, the Montgomery County government and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, have awarded $1.9 million to 37 collaborative service delivery partners. The funds will provide services for many of the school communities in the Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Gaithersburg, John F. Kennedy, Col. Zadok Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Quince Orchard, Rockville, Seneca Valley, Sherwood, Watkins Mill and Wheaton clusters, and the Northeast Consortium (Paint Branch, James Hubert Blake and Springbrook).

Senator Christopher Van Hollen and Delegate Mark Shriver, Montgomery County legislative sponsors of the After School Opportunity Act, joined County Executive Doug Duncan, Montgomery County Council Member Steven Silverman, Montgomery County Board of Education President Nancy King and other officials at a February 26 celebration held at Albert Einstein High School.

The collaborative after-school projects were selected through a competitive bidding process. The range of activities will include homework and study skills help, tutoring and mentoring, career exploration with local businesses, life skills and pregnancy prevention groups, youth leadership skill development, hands-on computer technology classes, theatre performances, experiences in government, organizing service learning projects, recreation and sports. Activities also will serve children from fourth grade through high school with several programs operating during the summer. Parents will be actively involved in activities such as workshops, home visits, family nights and volunteering in programs. Services will be responsive to the needs of the county's culturally diverse families.

The 37 collaborative service delivery partners were selected through a competitive bidding process. Future additions will include extended day programs at three middle schools in partnership with the Interagency Coordinating Board for Community Use of Public Facilities and programs that will increase the inclusion of youth with disabilities into community-based after-school programs.

The governor and the General Assembly recognized the importance of addressing the after-school hours and created the Maryland After School Opportunity Act during the 1999 Legislative Session. The Act created the Maryland After School Opportunity Fund Program, which called for $10 million for after-school care and programs for children throughout the state. The General Assembly is currently considering second and third year funding.

The Montgomery County Collaboration Council received a competitive $1.35 million grant from the Maryland After School Opportunity Fund Program. Additional funding was provided by the Middle School Academic Intervention funds from the Maryland State Department of Education's "Every Child Achieving," the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County for arts and at-risk youth, and the MCPS Community Partnership Grants for schools and community organizations to address student academic achievement. The After School Activities Project now totals $2,826,611.

Service delivery partners are:

Argyle Summer Program

Benjamin Banneker Honors Math and Science Society

Bethesda Academy of Performing Arts

Child Center and Adult Services Amigo Program

City of Rockville

Educaci¢n 2000

Enrichment Centers of Brookmont Centers

Family Services Agency, Inc.

Family Support Center

Florence Crittenton Services

George B. Thomas Learning Academy

GUIDE Program, Inc.

Harmony Careers International

ICCAPPP

Interages

Kids After School

Laytonsville Baptist Church

Linkages to Learning/CPC Health

Linkages to Learning/KWYS

Linkages to Learning/SS YMCA Youth Services

Maryland Leadership Workshops

Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association

Mental Health Association/KWYS

Montgomery Business Roundtable

Montgomery College-Takoma Park

Montgomery County Department of Recreation

Montgomery County Volunteer Center

Montgomery Youth Works

NAACP Parents Council

PTSA at Gaithersburg High School

PTSA at Mill Creek Towne ES

Round House Theatre

Silver Spring YMCA Youth Services

Song with Meaning

St. Martin's Hispanic Ministry

UpCounty Community Center

Upper Montgomery County YMCA