Mahoning Valley Community School plans to build new community learning center
Mahoning Valley - The Mahoning Valley Community School in Youngstown serves at-risk and dropout students in several communities across Mahoning County.
The school has been successful in turning around the lives of at-risk teenagers which in turn reduces youth violence.
Now, the Mahoning Valley Community School will expand resources in their own brand-new facility set to be built on a vacant Pyatt Street property on the south side funded with bi-partisan support.
"All of these barriers will be removed onsite with one location," MVCS Superintendent Jennifer Merritt said.
All needs, including healthcare, food, workforce development, child care among others, will be available through community partners in one place so that students are well-equipped to get their education.
"This new space will provide the ability to do that," Merritt said, "We are a food desert. Our students often don't have access to resources."
This strategy is called "Collective Efficacy," bringing families resources through a school system in order to break down the barriers and the root causes of violence.
"In this city currently, we have a problem with youth violence and one of the biggest things solving that is providing outcomes to our students and our students deserve that. Our families deserve that. Our community deserves that," she said.
MVCS graduate and now school-aid Keelin Morris said because of this school system, he's overcome hardships and is now pursuing an education career in hopes students enroll in their new space.
"I really encourage the kids to do that," Morris said, "and for the kids who haven't been here and want to come here, they should, because it's a good school."
Merritt said she hopes the facility will be up and running in two years.
She said the center will provide education for 7th-12th graders with future plans of expanding.
This school's unique project will be the focus of The Scribbler Publishing Group's podcast on Thursday. Bertram de Souza's in-depth conversation with Judge Theresa Dellick will begin at 7 p.m. and can be found on the Scribbler Group's YouTube and Facebook pages and WFMJ.com.
