News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee Tech and the College of Education are asking for assistance in providing nutritional food to their Freedom School students.
The Elinor Ross Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School is a free, six-week literacy and cultural enrichment program for underprivileged students. Executive Director Janet Isbell said it’s an opportunity for students to see that learning can be fun and inspirational.
“We use high quality children’s literature–rich literature–that helps them to see themselves in these books,” Isbell said. “They see kids that are like them, and they see kids that are change-makers–kids that see problems and take action, and these kids learn that they can do that too.”
Isbell said they provide the students with breakfast and lunch daily, and want to be certain the students are having their nutritional needs met. Isbell said they estimate the cost of food to be about $350 a week, and that they ask for any assistance the community is able to give.
Students of the program can expect activities in theater, music, STEM, exercise, and field trips. Isbell said Freedom School also involves the community by inviting guest speakers to the classes.
“It’s helping these kids to grow and learn and feel that they are a part of a community, and it’s helping to build community as well,” Isbell said.
This is the second year CDF and Tech are partnering for Freedom School, and this year they plan to add a little extra fun: bicycles.
“In addition to sending the kids home with dozens of books so they can build up their home libraries, we also plan to send the kids home with a bicycle,” Isbell said. “We are working with others in the community who have partnered with us. They are going to teach the kids bike safety, bike maintenance, and we’re going to ride with the kids around campus and on the Rail Trail this summer.”
The program runs from Wednesday, June 9th to Saturday, July 16th.
