KEYS Awards Its Largest Grant Ever To Kosciusko Literacy Services
Posted
Staff Report-
Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services, the youth philanthropy group of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, recently awarded a grant for $6,974 to Kosciusko Literacy Services to be used for youth-oriented programs. The grant was the largest ever made by KEYS. Last spring, KEYS developed a long-term goal to improve reading proficiency in the county. This goal will allow the group to focus on a specific area of education in which to make a bigger impact and spark new ideas for programs and projects. KEYS recently visited KLS to learn about the state of literacy in the community. KLS Executive Director, Cindy Cates provided them with statistics that prove just how important reading is to the development of children, particularly in young children ages 1 to 5. The KEYS students learned that children who cannot read at the basic level by third grade are four times more likely to fail to graduate high school. Graduation rates can have a significant impact on crime rates and the economy. They also learned that one-third of the population in Kosciusko County does not have free access to a library. When the opportunity to award a proactive grant presented itself to the members of KEYS, they were excited to award it to an organization that not only aligned with their mission but would also help them achieve their goal. “The members of KEYS have learned that reading truly is the foundation of education. It is their hope that this grant will get more books into the hands of children to foster a love for reading at an early age and provide them with the needed skills to succeed academically,” said KEYS Navigator and Community Foundation Program Officer Amy Cannon. KEYS students represent grades eight through 12 from the four school corporations in Kosciusko County: Lakeland Christian Academy, Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw and Wawasee. Its mission is to positively impact and improve education in the community by providing aid now and for future generations. Annually, KEYS awards approximately $20,000 to educational projects through a competitive grant application process. To learn more about KEYS grantmaking, visit its webpage at KCFoundation.org/grants-supporting-education
