Positive Action program celebrates graduates

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

Middle school students from Monessen were celebrated Wednesday as they graduated from the Positive Action After School program.

The program, administered in partnership with California University of Pennsylvania, started virtually in December to help students on a volunteer basis improve their behavior and enhance their academic motivation. 

The after-school program, which had nearly 30 students registered, graduated more than a dozen of them. Faculty and staff from the district, Cal U and community members were invited to attend the ceremony at the school. 

The Positive Action program is a collaboration among the Monessen School District, Cal U, Monessen Communities That Care and the Monessen Public Library. 

It was funded by a two-year, $153,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency obtained by Dr. Mathilda Spencer, associate professor of criminal justice at Cal U. 

Spencer and five Cal U graduates helped students two days each week. There were activities and learning exercises taught in conjunction with some of their classroom curriculum to show students how positive actions can improve various aspects of their lives, including their education. 

The program was intended to start last fall, but it was delayed because of pandemic restrictions.

Students began the program virtually in December before moving to in-person programming in February. 

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