Skelos And Barra Announce $20,000 In State Grants For Baldwin

Baldwin.

“Helping our students learn and achieve is critically important,” said Senator Skelos. “By improving our students’ performance in school and enhancing the fire department’s ability to coordinate its actions during an emergency, these grants will benefit the entire community.”

The first grant will provide the Baldwin Public Library with $10,000 for the purchase of computers and other costs associated with expanding the Library’s Homework Center. Currently, the Library’s Homework Center assists children in grades two through six with their homework. The Center is staffed by a certified teacher and is open Monday through Thursday during the school year. According to the Library, it services approximately 15 children per day.

Through this grant, the Library will initiate a new Homework Center, within the Young Adult Department, for older students. According to Librarian-in-Charge, Catherine Overton, “There have been numerous requests from parents regarding tutoring support for children in grades 7 through 12, but we have not had the resources to expand our current program.”

“By helping older students improve their grades and prepare for college, this new Homework Center will make a lasting difference in their lives,” said Assemblyman Barra.

For the 2005-06 school year, the Baldwin School District had 1,273 enrolled middle school students (grades 6-8) and 1,738 high school students. The Library’s new Homework Center is particularly important because of the increasing difficulty of the curriculum.

As secured by Senator Skelos and Assemblyman Barra, the second grant will provided $10,000 to the Second Battalion Fire District. As located in Baldwin, the Second Battalion Fire District’s Emergency Operations Center will use these funds to modernize its radio equipment and telephone equipment and radios.

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