Ben Peruso is directing a film for the SHINE program. Joe Pini and John
Baratini our helping out as another outreach from our club.
SHINE Program Profile
The SHINE (Schools & Homes In Education) Program is a comprehensive after school program that provides academic support to students in grades K-4. The SHINE Program was originally funded by a 21st Century Pennsylvania Department of Education Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant that was written and implemented by Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) administrators.
The SHINE Program development can be traced to a visionary strategic planning process that was initiated in Carbon County in 2002, the foundation of an Educational Task Force, and the Partners For Progress Carbon County Child & Family Collaborative Board. The stated mission of the Collaborative is “to build a seamless network of educational and social services to nurture the positive and combat the negative trends affecting the families in Carbon County”– in effect, a safety net for children and families.
SHINE Centers were established and have been operational in three public school districts in Carbon County (Jim Thorpe, Lehighton, and Panther Valley) at four elementary school sites (L.B. Morris, Penn-Kidder, Panther Valley, and Shull-David). SHINE-Carbon began in the spring of 2005 and has provided services to students for the 5th consecutive school year in
2008-09.
In 2006, the SHINE program was adopted by two public school districts in Schuylkill County (Mahanoy Area and Shenandoah Valley) at two elementary schools. Students who attend non-public schools within the boundaries of participating districts are also eligible to participate and are welcomed into the program. These potential feeder schools include Our Lady of Angels, St. Joseph’s, and SS. Peter & Paul in Carbon County; and the Academy of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Trinity Academy in Schuylkill County.
The SHINE After School Program operates during the school year for 2 1/2 hours (3:30pm – 6:00pm) four days a week (M-Th). Transportation and food services are provided to children and the curriculum includes tutoring and homework support, basic skills instruction in reading and mathematics, academic enrichment, the Positive Action program, and recreational and cultural activities that extend (and are coordinated with) regular classroom instruction.
In addition to the After School Centers, the SHINE Program incorporates other key components to support the project goals and the Collaborative mission. These include Kindergarten & Home Visitor Programs, Parental Involvement, Family Educational Plans, Summer and Extended School Year Activities, and Professional Staff Development. Companion programs coordinated with SHINE include Right From the Start (RFTS) Parents As Teachers (PAT) program, Head Start and Pre-K Counts which together with the Kindergarten Home Visitor Program along with the after-school program provide services to birth to 4th grade students and families.
SHINE has more than 50 community partners representing all facets of the community. Since many SHINE activities are planned and conducted jointly, community partnership support at times may benefit programs in both counties.
The SHINE Center currently administers after school programs at six sites in two counties. The SHINE Project is staffed by a Project Director, an Assistant Project Director, and an Administrative Assistant. Each SHINE Center is staffed by the equivalent of two Teachers and Student Interns. One Teacher is designated as a Lead Teacher at each school site.
Previous external evaluation reports demonstrated SHINE students made substantial improvement in Reading, Mathematics, School Attendance, and Homework Completion (the target goal areas). Data for 2007-2008 report shows student improvement was steady, sustained, and high levels of improvement continued.
During Year 4 the SHINE project was lauded by evaluators, school district personnel, community leaders, legislators, and other public officials as an exemplary project. Other school districts in the region expressed interest in implementing the SHINE program in their schools. The model was adopted and successfully implemented in two Schuylkill County Schools in 2006-07 under the LCCC umbrella. In June 2008, SHINE II opened in Prince Hall Elementary School, an urban school in the Philadelphia area. The Project Director and SHINE staff continued to work with partners, advocates, and policymakers to secure funding that would insure continuation, and hopefully expansion of Project SHINE. Positive Action, recognized nationally as an exemplary anti-bullying, resiliency building and character education program, was initiated through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency at all SHINE after school sites in Schuylkill and Carbon and incorporated in the Home Visitation program.
Movie Director Ben Peruso with some of the cast of SHINE video
John Baratini in a scene helping students learn how to read.
Joe Pini in a scene helping a student complete his homework
