CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new out-of-school partnership with MeckEd, a nonprofit designed to help students, will focus on helping middle school children in low-income neighborhoods, Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts announced.
The program, Charlotte Next, is expected to help about 30,000 Charlotte-Mecklenburg students.
Roberts said she’s been working on the program with MeckEd for a year. The goal is to increase the number of students attending out-of-school programs, specifically students in CMS' most challenging schools.
“(We want to make) sure the whole community knows that we care, that we want them all to be successful and that we recognized there are disparities and there are places where after-school programs are not reaching,” Roberts said.
MeckEd told Channel 9’s Blaine Tolison that one of the biggest hurdles for students and parents is finding programs suited for individual children. Officials said there are many programs in Charlotte, but not everyone is finding them.
John Cash, the marketing chairman for The Boys and Girls Club of Charlotte, knows the struggles students face in tough neighborhoods.
"I saw my first shooting at 7 years old," Cash said. "I had a great family support system with my parents, but still, exposure to the environment can have an adverse impact on children."
In the last year, Channel 9 has reported on dozens of crimes involving Charlotte-Mecklenburg students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested three teenagers in October who they say led officers on a chase after stealing a woman's car. Also in October, Officers arrested four teenagers accused of robbing delivery drivers.
With Charlotte Next, there could be more options to keep teenagers out of trouble.
Organizers said they already have partnerships with private companies and money to get Charlotte Next off the ground.
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