A nearly $400,000 grant will help promote writing and literacy skills for youth in Baldwin County schools. Georgia College has been awarded funds for a new Writing for Success program from the Department of Education.

The program will include a combination of workshops, one-on-one consultations and peer advising for K-12 students at their schools.

“Georgia College is committed to supporting our community and is dedicated to fostering the success of students in our local public schools. This program draws from our liberal arts mission to develop creative problem solvers, skilled communicators and engaged citizens,” said Dr. Costas Spirou, Georgia College’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Many rural school districts in the state struggle with adequately preparing students with the skills they need for successful careers. Initiatives like the Writing for Success program aim to address these challenges and offer participants an opportunity to develop the skills to improve their academic performance and overall career readiness. 

“We hope to spark passions and spur opportunities for students as we work to promote greater literacy. Our community and the state will benefit from students who are better prepared to communicate and succeed in their futures—whether they go directly to college or to careers,” said Dr. Irene Burgess, executive director of the Andalusia Institute.  

“Who knows. Some students may even follow in the footsteps of famed authors Flannery O’Connor and Alice Walker who called this area home,” she said.”

Georgia College will begin work in the coming months with local educators and administrators to assess the district’s needs and the needs of their students. Once those are identified, facilitators will formulate programming to meet those needs. Programming could include training for teachers, hands-on engagement for students or enrichment activities. 

“We all know how important reading, writing and speaking skills are for all life situations. This new program will help expand the reach in our schools and bring new opportunities for our students to have support in these vital areas,” said Dr. Noris Price, superintendent of Baldwin County Schools. “We are grateful for the partnership with Georgia College on this initiative and look forward to seeing how this benefits our students as we move forward.”

 The $385,000 grant is funded through the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which was recently signed by President Joe Biden. Georgia College is grateful to Sen. Raphael Warnock, who advocated for this initiative. 

“Investing in our students means investing in future generations of change-makers, thinkers, and innovators. I am proud to have secured these funds for the Writing Success for Central Georgia Youth program because I believe writing is a gateway for young people to positively express themselves and contribute to our society. Students deserve our unwavering support, and I will continue pushing for federal policies that invest in the constructive development of tomorrow’s leaders,” said Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock.