July 26, 2004

Providence Mayor David Cicilline and the city were awarded a $5 million grant for 5 years from the Wallace Foundation to implement a model system of after'school opportunities for children that puts a premium on quality. The grant supports the mayor's Providence After School Alliance, a public-private partnership whose goal is to transform out-of'school learning time. The initiative is aimed primarily at low- and moderate-income middle school aged children approximately 11-15 years old. Providence is only one of two communities to be selected by the Foundation as part of its Learning in Communities Initiative. New York City received the other grant.

"Under the bold direction of Mayor Cicilline, Providence and its leadership are embarking on a pioneering course that we hope will lead many other cities across America to recognize that all children need and deserve a wide variety of high-quality learning opportunities that do not begin and end at the schoolhouse door," said Wallace Foundation President M. Christine DeVita upon awarding the grant. This initiative puts into action several Conference policies on after'school and out-of'school time learning and is another indication that mayors can have a key role in the education of our children.