Entries for November 2023

The Covington Police Department in collaboration with Covington Partners is working to connect with the youth of Covington and lead the city to a better future. Last school year, the pilot project Buddies with Badges began at Glenn O. Swing Elementary School after Covington Police Sergeant Rachel White saw an email promoting mentoring in Covington and thought she could interest her co-workers as another way to be engaged with the community. Now, the project has expanded its reach to students at Ninth District Elem...

With a significant increase in the EL (English Learner) population in Covington, there is a growing need for small groups and interventions focused on academic needs of EL students. In addition to supports put in place during the school day, the Sixth District Elementary School Dolphin Zone CLC has made a discerned effort to provide this group of students with additional academic support beyond the 3:00 p.m. bell. Dolphin Zone is fortunate to have a bilingual program coordinator, Adriana Silva. In addition, the ...

What began as an idea from a student, is now Club MMA at the Holmes High School After-Hours Community Learning Center (CLC).  When Holly Simkonis, CLC coordinator at Holmes High School, was approached with the idea, she wasn’t sure what to expect, but enough students garnered interest for her to explore the idea. Simkonis researched possible partners, which led her to Joel Lippolis of Club MMA Mixed Martial Arts & Fitness in Campbell County, Kentucky.   Simkonis and Lippolis discussed obje...

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a holiday we look forward to, in which we celebrate all that we are grateful for, gather with loved ones, and eat plentifully with joyful abandon. For Holmes High School (HHS) junior Benedictol (Benny), this Thanksgiving was his first ever to do just that in the United States.  Born in the Goma region of the Congo and fleeing with his family at six months old to Uganda, Benny spent the first 16 years of his life surviving in the Nakivale Refugee Camp. According to Benny, “Li...