By Jennifer Mrozowski
Enquirer staff writer

More than 2,000 students in nine Cincinnati Public Schools are expected to get additional tutoring and mentoring outside of the school day this year, thanks to a $5.1 million federal grant announced Tuesday.

School officials say the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant will help with their goals to raise student achievement and create schools designed as community learning centers offering services day and night and on weekends.

Schools to benefit are Winton Hills, Oyler, Hays, Pleasant Ridge, Central Fairmount, South Avondale, Burton, Rockdale and McKinley. The program at McKinley will be transferred to the East End school when that new school opens in the 2005-06 school year.

"This grant will allow us to increase children's academic and social success by bringing community resources to their schools after the regular school days ends," said the district's deputy superintendent, Rosa Blackwell.

The YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, which helped to write the grant request, will administer the grant and help find partner agencies to work in the schools. The Ohio Department of Education will allocate the money over the next five years.

In addition to coordinating tutoring and mentoring programs, the YMCA and school district also plan to create programs in recreation, fine arts, drug prevention and career exploration. The grant also will help fund non-school-day activities, such as summer camps and Saturday programs.

"Some of it is not going to be about addressing the social ills of kids, but even enhancing some opportunities," said Jorge Perez, associate vice president of the YMCA. For example, some programs will help familiarize students with the college application process or incorporate college tours, he said. Other programs include skill-building exercises in math and computers.

This is the first time Cincinnati Public Schools has gotten a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com