Pee Dee shares in Duke grants
Duke Energy has announced the recipients of $375,000 in grants through the Duke Energy Foundation to South Carolina organizations that will fund tutoring and reading programs in underserved and minority communities to combat learning gaps created by the pandemic. The funds will also support environmental education programs for Title 1 schools and culturally relevant professional development, particularly as it pertains to racial equity in education. The grants were awarded to 46 organizations across South Carolina, two of them in the Pee Dee and serving the Darlington area: the YMCA of the Upper Pee Dee and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee. This summer, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee will use grant funding to offer K-3 students the Raz-Plus Reading Program, a curriculum that seeks to improve vocabulary, language fluency and reading comprehension among participants. “Boys & Girls Clubs remain committed to the social and emotional well-being of its members and aiding them on their academic journey,” said Neal L. Zimmerman Jr., executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pee Dee. “This generous grant will help us continue our focus of improving members’ education this summer through the implementation of a proven reading curriculum taught by qualified instructors. This will help many members overcome the reading loss that has occurred during the pandemic.”
