Launchpad Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

With the spread of the coronavirus making its way through our community, concerns around allowing students return to the physical classroom began to arise. During the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, most of the afterschool and summer programs in St. Lucie County, Florida remained open to accommodate online schooling and essential worker childcare programs. The student programs that remained opened throughout the summer provided virtual educational and social emotional learning while also maintaining CDC guidelines. However, when the time for students to return to school for the new year, the need for virtual learning increased. With almost 20 students normally in a classroom setting, it is not possible to maintain social distancing within the confines of a normal classroom setting. Parents were given the option to either have their school-age children return to brick and mortar schools or continue with virtual learning until the end of winter break. There was also the issue surrounding restrictions of afterschool programs, which accommodated many working parents and parents who could not facilitate virtual learning at home. With the combined efforts of the Children’s Service Council program partners and the St Lucie County’s Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Federal stimulus package, county officials were able to provide 250 students daily with spaces to complete their virtual learning safely with trained staff who helped to facilitate students throughout the program.The objective of out-of-school virtual programs was not to replace the endeavors of the school district, but rather amplify the school district’s option for virtual learning in our community. With $1 million provided in COVID-19 relief funding from the St. Lucie County, the Children’s Service Council was able to run the program for a duration of 18 weeks and gave much-needed aid to families, students, and provided additional resources to our school district.