Recently, we assembled this year’s grant awardees for an orientation meeting at the Brunswick Junior High School Library. It was inspiring as each recipient briefly outlined their grant for the rest of those gathered. Several of the new grants are already underway and we will begin updating you on their progress soon! The Times Record published our press release regarding the new grants. You can read it here. Thank you for your continued support.

Thanks to our Business Partners and individual donors, over $40,000 will be awarded to fund 23 different projects in amounts ranging from $400 to $5000 spread throughout Brunswick’s 4 public schools. Grants include the purchase of a variety of differentiated fiction and non-fiction texts for the Baxter Book Room at Coffin, stereo-microscopes for Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary, a Hoop House style greenhouse and growing materials for Brunswick Junior High, and a team building experience at Camp Ketcha for all incoming 9th graders at Brunswick High School. To see the full amazing list, click here. Stayed tuned for updates on our Grants in Action page!

Our goal at the BCEF is to enhance the education of all Brunswick’s students in significant ways. With many of the grants from our very first grant cycle still under way, we’ve really just begun, but by seeing the impact of similar, longer established organizations around the country, we know that the possibilities are tremendous. We are accumulating feedback and data from our grant recipients in various forms to evaluate the effectiveness of the initial round of grants so we can make smart decisions moving forward. Recently, we received a letter from Brunswick Junior High science teacher Jayme Sheheult that we found inspiring and has motivated us to keep the momentum going. He was the recipient of a grant for Aquaponics (check out our Grants in Action page to learn what that is) and was also a participant in another grant that involved multiple teachers. Check out his letter to get a feel for the impact your donations can have and are already having.

Welcome to BCEF’s newest Board Members

BCEF is excited to announce three new additions to our board, Peg Willauer-Tobey, Alex Pantaz and Steve Johnson.

Peg Willauer-Tobey, currently the Director of Annual Giving at the Chewonki Foundation has worked in and around schools her entire career.  Her involvement has been through instructing alternative Outward Bound programs, leading a team in a Boston public school for City Year, and as a Brunswick School system parent for 13 years. She knows and lives the importance and value of creative and inspired education.

“I am thrilled to be part of the BCEF board.  I hope to help help connect the community with the essential work of this group and to help raise funds in order to continue to make possible grants that enhance the education of Brunswick students.  We have such talented teachers, I look forward to finding ways to help them continue to inspire our children.”

Alex Pantaz has three children in the public school system, and has been living in Brunswick for the past twelve years with his family.  He is a Captain for JetBlue Airways and also served 20 years in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves.

“My children have had an amazing experience in our schools and I have been awed by their talented and dedicated educators.  I had been looking for a way to give back when I learned of the BCEF during its initial fund drive last year and was inspired by its mission. It is a privilege to be a part of the BCEF and I look forward to the work ahead”

Steve Johnson has a daughter at Brunswick Junior High School and a son who will start kindergarten in the fall of 2016.  Prior to his current role as stay-at-home parent, Steve worked in the development office at Bowdoin and as an attorney in Portland.

We gratefully acknowledge the service of former Board members Dana Bateman, Rick Wilson, James Ford, Jon Riggleman and Frank Strasberger, and look forward to the next chapter for BCEF and the current fall fundraising campaign and our grant cycle in Winter of 2016.