NEW PARIS — During the National Trail Local Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday, Dec. 3, Success Liaison Heather Ludy updated the board on the program at National Trail.

Last year, there was a total of 307 students served by the Preble County Success Program. Already for this year, the number is at 252 students served. For National Trail only, last year 58 students were served and so far this year 43 have been served.

The program is on track to serve more students this year than past years.

The Success Program is operating based on the motto “Quality over Quantity.” According to Ludy, numbers are a big factor in Butler County’s program. They want as many kids as possible to be in the program, even if they only see the student once. Preble County is trying to focus on helping the families they have throughout the entire year.

The Success Program also changed its data collection recently. In the past, the program has utilized a system with Miami University which was costly. The liaisons did not see the results they thought they were going to see.

This year, the program has an advisory board to meet with to ask questions and get feedback.

The program is also doing a Google survey for additional feedback.

For outreach, the liaisons participated in:

•The National Trail MVCTC FFA Bags of Hope — This year, over 100 bags of food went to the various school liaisons.

•Ludy is doing the Jacob’s Ladder bags at NT. At the beginning of the year she was only receiving 27 bags, but Ludy resent the permission slips and received additional interest. There were families receiving the bags who did not need or want them. Now, after receiving 80 permission slips, Ludy will be receiving 35 Jacobs Ladder bags a week. This is not meeting the need, but Ludy hopes to get more bags in the future.

•All of the Success Liaisons also participated in Preble County Christmas for Kids. According to Ludy, she has many families who utilize this program. She has been told that if they didn’t have the program in Preble County, their children would not get Christmas presents.

•Shoes for the Shoeless will be held at the end of the year. Ludy always has a stock of shoes in her office, if a kid needs shoes in the meantime.

•Ludy purchased 16 backpacks for boys and girls when they were on sale, so children without backpacks can get one from her office.