Lorain Boys & Girls Clubs To Offer In-Person Help To Students

ELYRIA, OH — Four Boys & Girls Clubs in Lorain County will offer in-person help to students struggling with online education.

Jeff Scott, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, said his organization had a duty to do everything it could to help working families who might struggle to obtain internet access.

“Our kids need our help,” Scott said. “The digital divide in Northeast Ohio puts so many of our kids and our families at a disadvantage. We understand there is risk in what we’re doing. We also know there is long-term risk from academic loss and even kids dropping out.”

The Desich Family Campus, Elyria Middle, Southside Gardens and Westview Terrace Clubs will all have "ClubSmart Learning Centers" for students engaged in remote-only education. Each site will have laptops and Internet access for kids.

Employees will serve as proctors to help children complete schoolwork or participate in stress-relieving activities like sports and arts. Each site will have a socially-distant set up and two proctors for every nine kids. A medical professional will also be available at every site.

Some staffers will be specifically tasked with ensuring social distancing within the clubs.

The ClubSmart Learning Centers will operate during the normal school day, though exact hours have not yet been set.

Up to 1,000 kids could make use of a ClubSmart Learning Center per day.