PRESS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE 11:00 A.M. PST, JUNE 15, 2026

JOINT STATEMENT FROM BISHOP UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EASTSIDE STUDENT CENTER

Eastside Student Center was founded in 2019 with a mission to provide a free, welcoming, and safe space where local youth can learn, connect, and thrive outside of school hours. Since then, ESC has served hundreds of Eastern Sierra youth through leadership development, arts programming, substance abuse prevention initiatives, community events, and a free drop-in center for middle and high school students.

In 2023, Bishop Unified School District partnered with Eastside Student Center to expand afterschool opportunities for students through the District’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP). ESC began serving sixth-grade students and later expanded to include fifth grade, helping provide valuable afterschool programming for local families during a period of growth for the District’s ELOP program.

Over the past three years, the partnership between BUSD and ESC has helped ensure that students have access to safe, enriching, and engaging opportunities beyond the school day. Both organizations are proud of what was accomplished through this collaboration and grateful for the support of students, families, staff, and community members.

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Bishop Unified School District will provide fifth- and sixth-grade ELOP programming directly on the Home Street Middle School campus, in addition to continuing TK–4th grade ELOP programs on the Bishop Elementary School campus. This transition reflects the continued growth and evolution of the District’s expanded learning programs and will allow services for these grade levels to be offered onsite.

While the structure of ELOP services is changing, the shared commitment of BUSD and ESC to the youth of our community remains unchanged. Eastside Student Center will continue providing free programming for students in grades 7 through 12, including:

• A free drop-in youth center open throughout the school year

• Research-based substance abuse prevention programs

• Paid job skills, leadership, and arts opportunities

• Community-building activities and family dinners

• A safe, supervised environment where teens can learn, grow, and build positive connections

Together, BUSD and ESC recognize that supporting young people requires a continuum of opportunities that extends beyond the classroom. Both organizations remain committed to ensuring that students have access to meaningful programs, supportive adults, and pathways to success.

Because ESC’s 7th- through 12th-grade programs receive no funding from Bishop Unified School District, community support remains essential to sustaining these services. Donations help ensure that local middle and high school students continue to have access to free after-school programming, leadership opportunities, and a safe place to belong.

“We are proud of the work accomplished through this partnership and grateful for the positive impact it has had on students and families,” said representatives of Bishop Unified School District and Eastside Student Center. “While this chapter of our collaboration is changing, our shared commitment to supporting the youth of our community remains as strong as ever.”

As this transition takes place, Eastside Student Center faces an important challenge. Every day the Student Center opens its doors, every leadership program it offers, every family dinner it hosts, and every teen it serves is made possible through grants and charitable contributions. Community support is critical to sustaining these programs. We encourage anyone who believes in providing local youth with safe spaces, positive opportunities, and caring mentors to consider making a donation to help ensure that ESC can continue serving the next generation of Eastern Sierra students and that, together with BUSD, every student of every age group has access to afterschool programs.

For information on both programs, visit: https://www.bishopschools.org/ https://www.eastsidestudentcenter.org/

And to donate to the Eastside Student Center, visit: https://www.eastsidestudentcenter.org/donate