We are so grateful for the donations that continue to support the Mark Morris Fund and are excited about some of the new programs it has been able to fund.
In March of 2019, the Youth Frontiers Courage Retreat came to the Lewiston-Altura schools for the fourth year. The class of 2024 participated in the retreat, along with several mentors from the graduating class of 2019. This retreat continues to provide invaluable confidence building and cooperative skills for the 7th graders participating. We continue to look ahead, particularly to the 2021 retreat, when the first class of participants will get to return as mentors.
The Latino Club continues to thrive, with the assistance of local college students and the fund’s provisions. Students meet weekly for conversation, homework help, and cultural or community-oriented experiences. The Drawing Club (new to 2019) and the Inspiring Students Club also provided opportunities outside of class and after school for students to experience enrichment activities and camaraderie with classmates.
In the summer of 2019, the librarian for Lewiston-Altura schools started an incredible summer reading program for local students. Please view our post on that event for more information!
Finally, we’ve continued to provide scholarships to seniors (for post-secondary programs) and middle schoolers (for enrichment opportunities). The 2019 recipients are listed under Fund Allocation History.
Below is an excerpt from an email from the school’s guidance counselor, regarding one of the recipients:
“A quick email to let you know that [student 1] is beaming this morning. I overheard him in the hallway telling [his teacher] that he was the winner of the Mark Morris scholarship and how grateful he is. He went on to share that with a fellow classmate as well. I called him into my room to ask him about it and the smile on his face was simply priceless. He told me how he plans to take classes this summer, maybe golf lessons and hopefully a robotics/STEAM camp or class. I encouraged [him] to look at opportunities that will challenge him and spark his critical thinking skills.”
We love hearing these stories, and sharing them with you; these moments are what remind us of the importance – and the joy – of providing students with the funds to challenge and develop themselves.
It’s been a busy year for the Mark Morris Fund, and 2020 promises to deliver more experiences for the students at Lewiston-Altura schools. Thank you for your continued support and interest in the program, and for continuing Mark’s legacy.