The Jennersville YMCA has received a $30,000 donation from the Armstrong Group of Companies.

The gift was made on behalf of the Sedwick Charitable Foundation – headquartered in Butler, Pa. – and in honor of Jud Sedwick, founder of the Armstrong Group and a lifelong member of the YMCA in Kittanning.

Sedwick’s support of underprivileged youth through YMCA programming was a priority in his life.

The donation will help fund the Jennersville YMCA’s Power Scholars program. This five-week summer enrichment program is offered at no cost to children who qualify, as the YMCA raises all needed funding.

Children can lose up to two months of learning in the summer (20 percent of what was learned in school), accounting for more than 65 percent of the academic achievement gap. Power Scholars tackles this summer learning loss through rigorous math and reading instruction, while also fostering physical, social, and emotional growth through field trips and career exploration.

The YMCA of Greater Brandywine began offering the program in 2017 with 82 students, who improved their reading level by five percent since the end of the school year.

Due to the program’s success, it’s being offered at two locations this summer, increasing participation to 168 students.