Poverty impacts students throughout Athens County, Ohio

[theHandpuppet]

The Athens Messenger
Poverty impacts students throughout Athens County
Sunday, October 5, 2014
By SARAH HAWLEY Messenger Staff Journalist

Poverty strikes many in Southeast Ohio and does not discriminate in age. Many students in Athens County’s schools know this all too well.

In three of the five school districts in Athens County at least 65 percent of students are considered “economically disadvantaged” according to the state report card released last month. Trimble Local has 67.8 percent of its population fall into that classification, with Nelsonville-York at 65.2 percent and Federal Hocking at 65 percent.

Alexander has 49.7 percent considered economically disadvantaged and Athens has 39.7 percent...

...Economic poverty impacts students in various ways. Poverty brings about a level of stress not only in adults but in children as well, as they have to worry if their basic needs will be meet on a daily basis....

MORE at http://www.athensohiotoday.com/news/poverty-impacts-students-throughout-athens-county/article_4b51e147-b6c4-5fc1-879f-354af1bf54cd.html

[No Vested Interest]

1. Is there no partnership with Ohio University in the local schools?

If not, why not?

[theHandpuppet]

2. I don't know

I believe the university has a number of programs in partnership with the schools but that doesn't help much with the underlying problems associated with poverty. There's supposed to be a follow-up story in next Sunday's edition and I will post a link when it becomes available.

[No Vested Interest]

3. Thanks. Any locale that isn't taking full advantage of an institution of higher

learning in their midst is missing out in a big way.

Ohio University has been established in the Athens area since the early days of statehood.
If the University hasn't reached out to the community, the community should be reaching out to the University.
Certainly both, and the students of both, can profit by interaction.

(I am not in that part of Ohio and have no connection with Ohio University; am just aware of the potential there.)

[theHandpuppet]

6. I did want you to know that I checked Sunday's paper for the follow-up story

It could be that the article was only available in the print edition of the paper because I couldn't find it anywhere in their online edition. If anyone else here could provide it, I'd certainly appreciate it!

[theHandpuppet]

4. Here's one of the programs they have for kids

http://www.ohio.edu/kids/about.html

[No Vested Interest]

5. I'm glad to see that.

I hope it's well-supported and gets a good response.

[theHandpuppet]

7. Here's the follow-up article we were expecting

Can't explain why it wasn't published until yesterday.

What is being done to help students living in poverty
The Athens Messenger
Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2014
By SARAH HAWLEY Messenger Staff Journalist

With a number of students in Athens County living in poverty or considered economically disadvantaged, what is being done to help those students succeed in the classroom and in life?

Throughout the county there are a variety of programs and options that are available in each of the school districts.

With needs ranging from transportation concerns to lack of food and medical care or not having adequate clothing, students and their families are seeing help available from some of the local schools.

“Some students depend on the meals here,” said Federal Hocking Supt. George Wood. Federal Hocking and Trimble both provide free breakfast and lunch to all students in the district. The free meals help to eliminate the stigma that may come along with receiving free or reduced price meals, while also making sure students are not hungry....

MORE at http://www.athensohiotoday.com/news/what-is-being-done-to-help-students-living-in-poverty/article_c1819fe1-9d19-5d6f-8876-dfb07a9bb24b.html