AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- As Richmond County Middle and High schools look to start its first day of school so does Elevate Augusta.

It’s a program that’s offered to the students at the Academy of Richmond County.

Elevate Augusta’s mission is to build long-term, life-changing relationships with students from 2nd through 12th grade.

They served 62 students in the classrooms last year and overall, about 80 students through mentorship, after school programs, and its summer camp.

Elevate Augusta has a credited elective class which students don’t have to take but a lot of students have been wanting to take it.

So, this year ARC expanded it.

“The Academy of Richmond County Staff and Administration, they loved us so much, they’ve allowed us to be able to expand. So instead of serving, those 62 students will be serving around 90 students this year inside of the classroom for three class periods,” said executive director, Aliegha I. B. Kemp.

And as it continues to expand and offer credited classes in the high school, the program also looks to expand to the younger students in elementary school this year.

“We have begun to partner with Lamar Millage, who is our neighborhood school. We have a house here in Harrisburg, and so we want to be able to serve those students. So we have partnered with them, set up a table at their open house and met some of the parents and met some of the staff. And so as we launch our little elevate, we’ll be at Lamar Milledge Elementary School,” said Kemp.

If your student isn’t enrolled in the class, then there is still an opportunity to get involved.

They can stop by the Elevate classroom over the next two weeks and grab a parent permission and liability form.

A parent or guardian must attend the parent orientation August 22nd for their student to participate in the afterschool program.