WILKES-BARRE — The SHINE after-school program — launched in two Luzerne County Schools in 2015 — continues to expand, with plans to open new programs at Kistler Elementary in Wilkes-Barre and at the Pittston Intermediate Center in Pittston. The additions this fall will bring the total number of SHINE centers in the county to nine.
Short for School and Homes In Education, SHINE had been a public-private partnership in neighboring Carbon and Schuylkill counties for two years before state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Nanticoke, and then-U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Hazleton, joined to secure funding and help bring it to Luzerne County, with Wilkes University as an education partner.
The first two programs opened at Wyoming Valley West School District’s State Elementary in Larksville and at the West Side Career and Technology Center in Pringle. The former served WVW students from grades one through four while the latter helped grades five through eight, accepting students from Wilkes-Barre Area, Hanover Area and Greater Nanticoke Area school districts.
SHINE quickly expanded to offer programs at Heights Murray Elementary in Wilkes-Barre Area, Greater Nanticoke Area Elementary Center and Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technology Center. In 2016, it added Maple Manor Elementary in Hazleton Area and Hazleton Area Career and Technology Center.
SHINE students are given a wide range of project-based lessons in the STEAM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. The program runs four days a week through most of the school year. Each session includes snacks, and SHINE has added a home visitor component — which will be included at both new locations — for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students.
The Kistler program will serve grades first through fifth, while the Pittston Intermediate Center program will serve grades first through fourth.
The expansion is possible thanks to a $2 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, using federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant money, which in turn uses money from a federal program with the same name. The federal 21st Century grants have been a primary source of funding for SHINE from the start, and when talk of slashing funding for it emerged in 2018, Barletta found himself opposing the Donald Trump Administration, despite the fact that he had long been one of Trump’s earliest and ardent supporters. The cuts were avoided.
In a media release announcing the expansion, SHINE Director Carol Nicholas said the program will be hiring more staff. “We are excited to expand the reach of the SHINE program and are looking for teachers and teachers assistants who will be available to work in our afterschool program between 6-12 hours. The SHINE program will expose them to exciting opportunities to learn about state-of-the-art STEAM-based curriculum and technology.”
Those interested may call the SHINE office at 570-408-4368 or visit jobs@Wilkes online at wilkesuniversitycareers.applicantpro.com/jobs.
