16 months ago
Bradenton-The girls gathered in a Manatee County classroom are part of the SONG program, an acronym for Saving Our Next Generation.
They've been identified as at-risk and in danger of failing in traditional public schools.
Executive Director Amy Wick Mavis explained, "It's girls who are behind academically, who have never been able to quite make the academic mark, as well as girls who have some behavior issues that also prevent them from succeeding academically."
Girls like Tamara Trusty who struggles with reading and couldn't keep up.
Tamara told us, "I have a learning disability, and I used to get in trouble at school, and so they sent me here."
SONG runs year round, so the girls can stay up with their school work, but it's more than an academic program.
A counselor works with the girls to help them learn how to get along, how to ask for help, and how to build their self-esteem.
But now, funding cuts at the state and county level will force the program to shut down next month.
Executive Director Amy Wick Mavis worries what the future will holds for these girls.
She points to studies that show girls who flunk two grades have a 90% chance of dropping out of school.
She's had to tell the girls their school may close.
Many of them wrote essays to express their feelings.
Johnisha McNear shared hers with us.
Johnish McNear read, "Dear Community, I really love SONG, and I don't want to leave, because I really came a long way with my attitude and my behavior. And I don't want to leave my friends and my teachers, and this school has really helped me with my grades."
The Executive Director of SONG says about the only thing that could save the program would be large corporate donations, or donated space for the school to use.
They need $60,000.
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