Project FOCUS Rural Grit at Hesperia Community Schools

Project FOCUS (For Our Children's Ultimate Success) is an out-of-school collaboration consisting of five community learning center programs that implements mentoring, civic engagement, high adventure and academic enrichment activities. The mission of Project FOCUS is to produce quality, motivated citizens through safe and fun educational enrichment opportunities that will broaden the horizons of both the students and their community.

Based on similar socioeconomic characteristics, the community learning centers are located in Hart Public Schools, Hesperia Community Schools (elementary and middle), Muskegon Heights Public Schools (elementary), Walkerville Community Schools, and White Cloud Public Schools (elementary and middle), and are for first through eighth grade students in those districts. Project FOCUS receives funding through a 21st Century Learning Center grant from the Michigan Department of Education.

Working together with the schools, Project FOCUS positively impacts families and helps to improve academic performance. The program offers age-specific and mixed group programming, cultural sensitivity, and mutual respect between children and staff. The overriding strength lies in our integration with each school’s curriculum, community, and a friendly learning atmosphere that takes each child’s interests and uniqueness into account. If you have a student who attends school in one of our districts, falls within the grades noted, and would like to participate, please contact the specific school's site coordinator.