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YMCA Solutions program expanding to Galesburg High School

The Knox County YMCA’s Solutions program for at risk youth is expanding next school year to Galesburg High School.

The District 205 school board approved spending $25,000 last night to aid the Y in bringing GHS the same program that’s been at Churchill and Lombard middle schools since January 2014.

Y CEO Adam Sampson says the program is serving roughly 60 kids at each junior high. An additional 60 high school students will bring the total up to about 180.

The program has been solely funded by the Y’s annual support campaign until now.

Part of the expansion is hiring a third Solutions staff member.

Sampson says that himself, program directors and Y volunteers are mid-search now and hope to make a hire with in a month.

He says staff also work with students not officially in the program but who need a “consistent adult.”

Solutions Director Joey Range tells WGIL he works with students on things like behavior, school attendance and academics.

But ultimately he says it’s about “putting a bridge in place” between teachers and students.

“We have four measurable outcomes what are GPA, tardies, attendance and detention,” Range says. “So we’re just trying to decrease that so teachers can have an easier job to teach, administrators can do their jobs and students can have a full benefit of an education.”

205 Superintendent Ralph Grimm recommended that the 205 board approve the expansion last night.

He said the “benefits” the district gets from this program are “well worth” the annual $25,000 expenditure.

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