Grantees

Spectrum’s Multicultural Youth Program (MYP) supports multicultural youth and families in northern Vermont by nurturing connections to the community, and giving youth knowledge, life skills, leadership opportunities, and encouragement for success. Nearly all MYP youth (91%) identify as BIPOC, including 52% who are English Language Learners. In 2025, MYP will engage at least 300 multicultural youth at their schools and in the community to build positive peer relationships; engage in recreation and enrichment programs that are safe and healthy; and receive support and guidance from staff they can relate to who share their language, culture, and experiences as newcomers to Vermont. This funding from VCTF will allow this critical work to continue.

Mwangaza (means Light in Sawhili) Summer Program is designed for and by refugees and immigrants. This program's focus is female high school students who came as refugees from Africa. We want to create a safe and fun space for the students to talk and learn about important and sensitive subjects. Each week is a different topic on social emotional well-being, physical health, and personal growth. Experts will be invited to share with the group. For example, a licensed mental health provider for depression and anxiety, a primary care provider for adolescence health and hygiene. At the end of the program each participant will take home a back to school bag that has supplies to enhance their growth.

Six sites in Orleans/Essex North Supervisory Union to provide a summer camp for children attending schools in Brighton, Charleston, E. Taylor Hatton, Lowell, Jay/Westfield and Try. Each site will operate a summer program for a minimum of two weeks, four days per week, 7 hours a week.

An afterschool program in the Newport City Schools.

A summer program in Northfield for area children.

We want to inspire a love of Science and an attitude of competence in this field among our K-6th grade students by increasing opportunities for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) learning time. We believe that the afterschool and summer setting, with its creative, flexible structure, is the perfect environment to explore STEM topics and spark a love of learning in this field.

Over the past three years, we have developed a robust STEM program in our eight programs. As a next step, we are implementing a dynamic robotics program. Robotics provide rich grounds for the development of valuable transferable skills, like problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and 21st century skills. By its nature, the study of robotics inherently incorporates all four pillars of STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, making it a truly dynamic and multi-disciplined learning opportunity. Robotics also allows scaffolding in learning--through a variety of techniques, students can move progressively toward deeper understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process.

Expands its afterschool services to include the elementary school populaiton (third and fourth grades) at the St. Albans City School due to the increased demand and popularity fot he program.