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Saginaw speakers urge council to back Saginaw STEM and Covenant Academy ARPA requests
Summary
Dozens of residents, youth and nonprofit leaders urged the Saginaw City Council to fund youth programs and facility upgrades, including a $300,000 ARPA request for Saginaw Covenant Academy and ongoing support for Saginaw STEM programming.
Dozens of speakers in public comment urged the Saginaw City Council to invest American Rescue Plan Act funds in youth education and workforce pipelines, spotlighting Saginaw STEM and a facility expansion request from Saginaw Covenant Academy.
The appeal included testimony from Dante Davis, founder and executive director of Saginaw STEM, who described leaving an engineering career to run the program full time and said, "My STEM degree changed my mom's life." Several program alumni and volunteers described hands‑on learning, travel to solar‑car competitions and scholarships tied to the program.
Reverend Rochelle Lafoon said the Charles L. McNair Freedom School — fiscally sponsored by the Saginaw African Cultural Festival — plans to serve about 100 scholars next summer and requested assistance to cover a $285 per‑scholar franchise fee for books and training. Ty Meyer, board chair for Saginaw Covenant Academy, asked council for $300,000 in ARPA funds toward a $1.2 million addition to that school's building to add classrooms, offices, restrooms and a shower to support homeless and disengaged students.
City officials and council members thanked presenters and described follow‑up steps. Mayor and councilors noted the importance of program evaluation, partnerships and sustainable funding while the city manager reported $1,365,000 in unallocated ARPA funds and a total available balance with recaptured dollars of about $3,020,000 for youth and workforce initiatives.
The presentations underscored themes council members raised in questions: program outcomes, residency of participants and grant‑making best practices. Speakers urged priority for programs that recruit and retain local youth into careers.
The council did not take a final funding vote on the Saginaw STEM or Covenant Academy requests at the meeting; presenters were told staff and council would follow up to provide additional information and next procedural steps.
