IMMEDIATE DECEMBER 7, 2004

ABAC Receives $250,000 Federal Grant

TIFTON--A $250,000 federal grant has been awarded to Abraham Baldwin College through the Georgia Project. The project was initiated in 1996 by Erwin Mitchell, a retired legislator and lawyer, who recognized the growing population of Latinos within the school system.

Mitchell established English as a Second Language Program (ESL) – The Georgia Project – for Latino kindergarteners through 12^th graders in 1996 to help break down language barriers.

Mitchell brought this program to the attention of Max Cleland and the late Paul Coverdell, as well as Saxby Chambliss and Sanford Bishop. The Cleland-Coverdell Scholarship was implemented during this time to help Latino graduates further their education through Dalton State College. Currently, 25 students have been awarded scholarships.

“Sanford Bishop helped ABAC receive this grant. Without his support, we wouldn’t be getting such a great opportunity,” said Tom Call, Interim President of ABAC.

This program has been implemented in northwest Georgia and now will expand to southwest Georgia and to ABAC. Those participating in the program currently are Whitfield and Murray Counties, as well as Calhoun City Schools and Dalton State College.

The goals of the Georgia Project are to bring student teachers from the University of Monterrey, Mexico to teach English to the growing Hispanic populations in Georgia; a summer institute at the University of Monterrey for Georgia teachers; scholarships; and to implement staff development to support Georgia teachers in the program and those interested in the growing number of Hispanic children in the state.

Call said, “This grant will allow us to be creative with the funds we will receive. We have the opportunity to expand on the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and High School Equivalency Program (HEP) to continue our work with Hispanic students.”

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