Public Notice
NICE is applying for the 2024 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant opportunity from the Tennessee Department of Education to support our Youth Impact Program.
NICE’s Youth Impact Program targets academic achievement, English language fluency, and social-emotional development for elementary, middle, and high school immigrant and refugee students. It includes in-school programming, after-school sessions, youth mentorship, and a summer program. The program supports refugee and immigrant student success in school and life.
The Youth Impact Program also has a growing focus on social-emotional learning, as refugee and immigrant youth have a disproportionate risk of exposure to traumatic experiences. For teachers in the classroom, this can mean increased behavioral challenges related to social and emotional development. NICE currently integrates art therapy activities into its educational programming and is working to grow a mental healthcare program for immigrant and refugee youth. These initiatives promote social-emotional learning and the development of healthy behaviors and relationships in students who have experienced adversity and trauma. If NICE is awarded this 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, we will be able to provide more support for improving students’ academic achievement in math, GPA, school attendance, behavior, and engagement in learning.
For more information and to provide input on our application, please contact Max Rykov, max@empowernashville.org