May 3, 2011

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors Tuesday announced the four winners of the Step Up Service Learning Grant Program.

The Step Up Service-Learning Grants Program is designed to fund small-scale, youth directed projects that focus on reducing adolescent violent crime, aggression, delinquency and/or substance abuse.

Recipients of the Step Up Service Learning Grants and brief community project descriptions are:

District One: Lane Learning Center, Exeter Students will mentor middle school students to achieve higher levels of personal responsibility.

District Two: Tech Prep High School, Tulare Tech Prep students will help design and install a new soccer field and mentor students at Tulare Athletic Boxing Club.

District Three: Visalia Technical Education Center, Visalia Students will grow, harvest and donate fresh produce.  The produce will then be distributed by FoodLink.

District Four: Orosi High School High school mentors will help coordinate a one week workshop for incoming middle school students.

"I am very excited about this years Service Learning projects," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Mike Ennis.  "The projects the students will perform are tremendous and they will provide them with work experience and will provide a service to the community."

The Tulare County Youth Commission administered the grant application projects.  A total of eight applications were considered for funding.  The four grants were the highest scoring in their Supervisorial District and were recommended for funding by the Youth Commission.  The projects will take place over the summer, with students and advisors receiving small stipends.  Each group of students will present their projects at a November 2011 Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting.