Three years after the start of Beaumont ISD's After School Centers on Education program more students than ever are participating
1,000 students were enrolled when the ACE program started 3 years ago.
Today more than 2300 students stay after school for the service.
ACE is a five year program funded through a Texas 21st Century Community Grant. But the school district gets less money from the grant in the fourth and fifth years.
Still, the school district says it won't let less funding stop it from serving BISD students.
When Justin McKenzie isn't challenging himself with differential equations he's helping students at Martin Luther King Middle School with algebra.
The Exxon Mobile engineer volunteers his time with the students as part of BISD's After School Centers on Education Program.
"I hope I'm helping. These kids so far have been pretty good at math as long as you can pull it out of them and give them confidence," McKenzie said
The program also offers students with academic support in other subjects like science.
Paul Breaux is the Site Coordinator at Dishman Elementary.
He says since the program began in 2009, the number of students staying after school for the program has grown.
"It's multifaceted. It not only helps the kids but also the families as a whole. Now that they're seeing that, they're coming on board," Breaux said.
But the grant which pays for the teachers, transportation, and supplies only fully covers the first three years.
The district will get 25% less in the fourth year and 50% less in the fifth year.
Breaux says Dishman Elementary and the other schools involved in the program are finding ways to get ready for the coming years.
"Through the relationships we develop through the community, business', Lamar University. We are developing alternate ways of funding," Breaux said.
As a volunteer he doesn't get paid but McKenzie says the students pay him their own way..
"With smiles," he said.
The program requires the schools involved to provide college readiness, academic support, enrichment programs or fun activities, and family support.
No BISD high schools are involved in the ACE program.
The schools that are involved in the ACE program are Austin, King, Vincent, and Smith middle schools. Also involved are Pietzch-McArthur, Homer, Caldwood, Dishman, Martin, and Fletcher elementaries.
