Northern Lehigh School District students have reaped the rewards of a grant received by Lehigh Carbon Community College to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community college leadership decided the grant would best be used by supporting students in the local high schools who are also taking courses at LCCC.

Northern Lehigh Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tania Stoker explained how the process came together.

“We were notified in late October by LCCC President Dr. Ann Bieber that they were awarded Lehigh County CARES Act COVID-19 Relief Funding,” Stoker said. “Initially, Northern Lehigh was earmarked for $10,000 by the community college.”

However, Stoker said additional funding was available through the grant, and LCCC identified funds available through other sources.

All together, the district received $33,000 for tuition and supplies for Northern Lehigh students taking courses such as research and composition, calculus, and any on-campus or online course through LCCC during the fall 2020 semester.

Stoker and high school counselor Allison Chruscial worked with LCCC Director of High School Connections Jennifer Aquila to identify eligible students and to distribute the funds.

Supplies such as textbooks, painting kits and graphing calculators were purchased to ensure the students had the materials they needed to be successful in the courses.

Superintendent Matthew J. Link said the district is extremely grateful for the support it received from LCCC.

“This could not have come at a better time when many families are facing additional financial hardships as a result of the pandemic,” Link said. “Dr. Bieber engages directly with the superintendents of Lehigh and Carbon counties to explore ways to support students while in high school, and has even started to push supports and opportunities down into the middle school level.”

Bieber said LCCC was happy to partner with the district.

“LCCC is honored to be a partner with the Northern Lehigh School District, providing high quality college courses to high school students,” Bieber said. “Students in dual enrollment courses will be on the path for their higher education degree as they complete high school.”

“Many of our students enter LCCC as a dually enrolled student or attend there after graduating high school,” Link said. “They offer so many options for our local students who want to obtain a two-year degree or matriculate into a four-year school. Really, the opportunities offered at LCCC are amazing for not only our students, but all the local high school students.”

Chruscial said the grant will support 60 Northern Lehigh students for the fall and spring semesters.

“It is refreshing that during a time of uncertainty for many, this grant will provide a sense of security. It is something that Northern Lehigh and I will forever be grateful,” Chruscial said.

Michael Adams is one of the Northern Lehigh students who benefited directly from the partnership between the community college and the district.

“Taking college courses before I graduate from high school saves me and my family money since I can take them for less money than I would have if I was a college student,” Adams said. “I also should be able to graduate from college faster now that I have gotten college credits before I even graduate from high school,” Adams said.

The reimbursement allowed Adams to register for another course at LCCC with the money that his family would have spent registering for his English course in the fall semester.

“I believe having the option to take dual enrollment courses this year has greatly benefited me, and I am thankful that LCCC and NLHS are willing to pay for these classes for me and my fellow peers so we can maximize our education without worrying about some of the finances during what has been a challenging time for many people,” he said.