Both Southeastern and the Tangipahoa Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council (TADAC) have received a $1,909.66 check from the Hammond branch of JCPenny to fund their branch of the After School Achievement Program (ASAP) for tutoring.
JCPenny raised the money over a two-week period in April through the After School Roundup fundraiser. During the fundraiser, JCPenny's customers were asked to round up the price of their purchases to the nearest dollar. These contributions were the sole source of funds.
The money was awarded to Southeastern and TADAC by Kevin Daigler, JCPenny's Hammond store manager. Accepting the check on the behalf of the university and TADAC was Dr. Tena Golding, director of the Center for Faculty Excellence and professor of mathematics; Alexandra Raphael, an AmeriCorps/
VISTA member also working in the center; Lynn Hoover, AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteer with TADAC; Beth Abel, TADAC director; Southeastern student Jennifer Wold, a kinesiology and health studies intern with TADAC; Rebecca Crittenden, TADAC program specialist and her daughter LilyAnn, representing area school children.
According to Hoover, ASAP takes place over eight weeks each semester on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
"The classes are very beneficial," said Hoover. "It gives the students, some of which are education majors, classroom experience with kids. Also, 92 percent of parents reported that their child improved by at least one letter grade."
ASAP's funding is not derived from charity alone. Last August, Golding was awarded $30,000 in grants from the University of Louisiana System to promote and supply ASAP.
"The grants allowed us to use a mobile learning lab, which include laptops and software," said Golding. "It also provided online activities and games which made learning fun for the kids and affective as well."