Caroline County Board of Supervisors Partners with YMCA and the Public School System to Bring Power Scholars Academy to Caroline.

The Caroline County Board of Supervisors agrees to fund curriculum for YMCA’s 2020 Power Scholars Academy in Caroline.

CAROLINE COUNTY, VA (February 5, 2020) – The Caroline County Board of Supervisors, in their last meeting on January 28, 2020, agreed to partner with the Rappahannock Area YMCA and the Caroline County Public School System by funding the YMCA’s 2020 Power Scholars Academy curriculum for Caroline students.

The unanimous vote, led by Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff Sili, will grant the YMCA $20,000, paving the way for the Power Scholars Academy to start this summer. In its inaugural year in Caroline, the Power Scholars Academy will reach 175 students that are identified at risk both academically and socioeconomically for summer learning loss or, the loss of educational skills from the end of one school year to the start of the next.

“The Board of Supervisors are very pleased to be able to partner with the YMCA and Caroline County Public Schools to provide funding for The Power Scholars Academy, and look forward to visiting the students this summer and see the program at work,” said Sili.

“The YMCA Power Scholars program is an amazing, accredited summertime educational and enrichment program for children across Caroline County. By collaborating with the Board of Supervisors and the Public School System, Caroline is rising and together with the Power Scholars program, the children of Caroline will rise even more,” said Caroline Family YMCA Board President Michael Tingler.

The Power Scholars Academy, already established in King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, was recently accredited a year early by BellXcel, a national accreditation firm, due to the resounding success of the program. In 2019, 321 students attended the Power Scholars Academy. Testing showed that Academy students gained an average of 2.5 months of math skills and 3 months of reading skills in just five weeks. Students also had a 93% average attendance rate.

“We look forward to the introduction of the 2020 Power Scholars summer program. The full day, five days a week model will enhance not only our ability to provide relevant instruction during the summer months, but to engage elementary students in afternoon enrichment clubs and field trips,” said Sarah Calveric, Ph.D., Superintendent of the Caroline County Public School System.
“Our students are the winners when schools, community partners (YMCA), and local government (Board of Supervisors) collaborate to make initiatives like Power Scholars a reality.”

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The Rappahannock Area YMCA was established in 1973 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to putting Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. The Rappahannock Area YMCA currently distributes over $1 million annually through our Open Doors Membership Program that makes scholarships available so that all people who want to participate at the Y can do so.
To donate or learn more, visit family-ymca.org or call (540) 371-9622.

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