Students at South Country Schools are now thousands of dollars richer in opportunities, provided by the South Country Education Foundation’s grants.
This spring, the SCEF has awarded several …
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Students at South Country Schools are now thousands of dollars richer in opportunities, provided by the South Country Education Foundation’s grants.
This spring, the SCEF has awarded several grants to students and teachers who have applied, including trips to the Riverhead Long Island Aquarium, an oceanography and Watch Hill and farm trip, as well as CEED workshops and reading kits, in the amount of $16,250.
According to president Robin Young-Roe and vice president Diane Zanazzi, the grants are nothing new. Since 1988, the foundation has been providing grant opportunities to the district. The foundation’s board reviews applications and chooses the best to be awarded twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring.
Last fall, the foundation awarded a total of $50,000 in grants for applications including a jazz ensemble masterclass at the Jazz Loft, a sensory playground, flexible seating, and a how-to-make-a-pizza class. The foundation, according to Young-Roe, generally selects funding in the arts and STEM, providing opportunities for children who might not have otherwise had them.
But how do they make it all possible? The foundation has major donors who contribute throughout the year, with their main source coming from their summer cocktail party this year, to be held on Saturday, July 9, at the home of Chantal and Richard Berman on Academy Lane in Bellport Village. The event includes both a silent and live auction, as well as musical talent and refreshments. The first events raised about $30 to $40,000 and now raises over $80,000. You can get your tickets online at scefonline.org.
“The community has always been so generous with SCEF. Since the pandemic, we are raising more money than we can give away,” said Young-Roe, hoping to see more applications. “I think the world can be a pretty crazy place, but a local group like ours is a way a person can make a real impact on their community. This is something you can give $50 to and you can see where it goes. It’s personal.”
The foundation doesn’t just provide grant opportunities, but also scholarships and professional development for teachers as well as summer grants for students to attend local camps and such. Each award is approved by the board, which includes over a dozen members. The foundation also has a hearty community advisory council with about 30 members.
The foundation also supports music education through its special Becker/Gambles Music Fund. This committee supports its instrument donation program, which provides trumpets, clarinets, and violins to students. Also, at the 2022 auction, a BHS graduate, Class of 1967, donated a violin he made, and it was auctioned off for $900. The winning bidder, Dr. Richard Berman, then donated it back to the foundation, and the head of the music department, Valerie Haratman, found a deserving student to gift it to.
“This could be the only opportunity they get; it’s a fantastic program,” said South Country School District superintendent Antonio Santana. “The school district is very fortunate to have community members who are so investing in their success.”
This year, he added, with the help of the foundation, the district also will help to provide a swimming program for middle school-aged students as well as a dancing program.
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