- The River City News

Erlanger-Elsmere Schools Win $25,000 Grant

In just 10 days, 72,000 people cast 1.8 million votes to support children in Erlanger and Elsmere.  Residents of the community were responsible for a large number of those votes.  As a result of their support, the Erlanger-Elsmere School District is one of 40 projects in 25 states that will be getting an assist from State Farm. The $25,000 State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant will fund improvements to provide a voice to children in Erlanger and Elsmere who possess a language delay so they may experience school and life more fully.

“Without the support of our students, staff, parents, and our community, this wonderful opportunity would not have been possible,” said Dr. Kathy Burkhardt, Superintendent of Erlanger-Elsmere Schools. “It was everyone’s votes that allowed us to receive this grant for our youngest learners!  This is an example of the great things happening for children when everyone in a community and a school district works together!”

State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a crowd-sourced philanthropic initiative. It empowers communities to identify issues in their neighborhoods, submit a proposal, and vote for their cause. Erlanger-Elsmere Schools benefitted from the support of the community by gathering enough votes to earn an assistive grant.

The $25,000 will address a key issue in the schools, as the district has experienced a spike in the number of children who display limited language skills or even possess an undiagnosed disability. With this grant, the district can more successfully support young children through mobile communication devices such as audio books, speech to text writers, picture communication and sign language apps, etc. It will also allow the district to provide more hands-on materials, screening tools, and training for staff and parents to address these needs.

“We know the importance of addressing these language delays as early as possible. By increasing communication skills early in a child's life we place our children on a more successful path in both school and life. Because of our efforts with this grant, our students will be able to express their wants and needs though their own voice,” said Mr. Matt Engel, the district’s Supervisor of Instruction. “Ultimately, these supports will provide our children the best pathway for success from cradle to career, and send forth more students capable of reaching the higher levels of learning and communication needed to keep our communities improving.”

“State Farm is here to help life go right in neighborhoods all across the country. We look forward to seeing the changes in these 40 communities because of the Neighborhood Assist grants,” said Kellie Clapper, State Farm Assistant Vice President – Human Resources.

-Staff report