Phillips Avenue School Received a NY State 21st Century Grant for $241,000 Annually for Five Years.

This grant funds a program called Project E.N.R.I.C.H. (Experience New Riverhead Initiatives for Community Harmony), which is designed to offer enrichment opportunities after school and during vacations and summers for Phillips Avenue students. It has helped create a Community at Phillips Avenue which provides homework help, remediation in content areas and enrichment through sports, drama, music and hands-on science, math and technology activities.

Phillips Avenue School has been utilizing the 21st Century Grant funds for a plethora of programs. The Summer Reading Program helps students with reading skills. School Success Clubs, which take place after school at Phillips Avenue, include: 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and ESL homework helper clubs; 4th grade ELA Prep/Reader’s Theater; Performing Arts Club; Reader’s Workshop; School Spirit Club (which promotes school spirit by cleaning up the garden, conducting the food drive during Thanksgiving and other community service projects); Sports Club; Math Club; and Art Club. The Marine Science Club is run by the Riverhead Foundation. The Marine Science Foundation program allows the students to take trips to the local beaches to learn about beach formation, marine life and how to keep our beaches clean. The students have been working very hard and enjoying themselves in these after school activities that take place Monday-Thursday.

Southampton Youth Bureau, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Long Island, Riverhead Free Library, Central Suffolk Hospital, and The Riverhead Foundation are our Community Based Partners for this grant. On Friday afternoons, the Ameri-Kids program run by the Southampton Youth Bureau takes place at Phillips Avenue. On Monday afternoons, students participate in a mentoring program run by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Long Island.

Families of the community participate in a bi-lingual night at the Riverhead Free Library. This program allows bi-lingual families to tour the Riverhead Free Library and gain knowledge of the resources available at the library. The library visitation also gives these families the opportunity to sign up for a free library card.

This grant program was designed to enhance the student’s academic, social and personal growth and provide families with a comfortable community support structure.