Friends of the River Valley, in partnership with Oxford County Mental Health Services and RSU56 (which is supported by a grant from 21st Century Community Learning Center) approved a $5,000 grant for the Dirigo Elementary School After School Program. The monies provided for operating costs will serve identified 90 low-performing students from Dixfield, Canton, Carthage, and Peru communities. During the summer of 2023 and the school year of 2023-24, this program will offer educational and enrichment activities to bridge present learning gaps and support social and emotional skill development.
In the first year of this program, teachers reported that 65% of the students showed improvement in classroom behavior and participation.