We were pleased to share this news with our Brunswick teachers before releasing it to our local news outlets on August 27. What a great way to kick off the school year, and our Fall 2015 fundraising campaign!
The Brunswick Community Education Foundation (BCEF) announced today that it has received a major contribution from Barry and Karen Mills. Totaling $40,000, the gift will be spread out over three years. The funds will provide critical support to the BCEF as the organization builds upon the remarkable success of its first year of grant funding.
Barry Mills recently retired after fourteen highly successful years as the President of Bowdoin College, while Karen Mills has received great acclaim on a national level as a business leader, a member of President Obama’s Cabinet, and a policy adviser. Barry and Karen Mills also share a deep admiration for Brunswick’s public schools, as their three children (William, Henry, and George) are all graduates of Brunswick High School.
In his role as Bowdoin’s President, Barry Mills often spoke eloquently about the importance of public education, and he lauded the quality of Brunswick’s schools in particular. In comments last fall, for instance, he described his children’s experiences in the town’s schools with one word: “phenomenal.” He noted that the quality of the schools is not merely a matter of interest to parents and current students: “maintaining the quality of those schools going forward is vitally important to the success of this community over the long term.” He also spoke powerfully and movingly of what he termed “the fundamental importance of teachers,” calling upon members of our community to “celebrate those great teachers, to let them know they are valued and supported as they seek to do their incredible, even life-changing, work in the classroom.”
In presenting their gift to the BCEF, Barry and Karen Mills praised the achievements made possible by the organization’s grants, and encouraged others in the community to do what they can to enhance educational opportunities for all of Brunswick’s students. “The members of the BCEF Board are grateful to President and Mrs. Mills for their exceptional leadership and generosity,” BCEF President Melissa Fochesato said. “We look forward to witnessing the powerful effect that their donation will have in Brunswick’s schools as these funds are put to use in the coming months.”