FARMINGTON — Mt. Blue Campus recently donated $2,000 to the Farmington Area Ecumenical Heating Fund, with school leaders saying the effort reflects the district’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local community during the winter.

Principal Joel A. Smith said the campus has supported the heating fund for years and chose to continue that tradition this winter as cold temperatures increased local need.

“We have been aware of the heat fund for many years, and the Mt. Blue Campus has always made an effort to give back to our community,” Smith said. “This year has been especially cold, and the campus decided to support this cause.”

School officials said the donation will help local families and residents offset heating costs during the winter season.

The donation was made possible through a partnership with The Sargent Corp., which helped pay for a staff-driven fundraising effort tied to Homecoming and Winter Carnival activities.

Smith said students selected orange as a spirit color for staff to wear during the themed week. School leaders.

“We asked Sargent if they could assist with purchasing shirts for the initiative,” Smith said. “They graciously said they would cover the cost in its entirety. Staff then purchased the shirts for fifteen dollars and, in most cases, donated more to the cause. Sargent was so gracious in their donation, and it was so appreciated. We would not have raised $2,000 without Sargent’s donation.”

Smith said supporting local residents reflects the strong relationship between the school and the broader community, which has historically supported Mt. Blue programs and activities.

“The community has been so supportive of Mt. Blue over the years, supporting music and athletics, as well as various initiatives,” Smith said. “This fall, donations to the Martha Webber Breast Care Center and to our latest donation to the Franklin County Ecumenical Heat Fund help Mt. Blue Campus give back to our community.”

He said community-focused initiatives also help reinforce values of service and responsibility among students.

“It means a lot,” Smith said. “We want to contribute to the community we love. Anything we can do to support our community is important to us.”

Smith added that staff participation in service projects helps demonstrate civic responsibility in ways that support classroom learning.

“I think the staff work hard to embed service-learning projects into lessons,” Smith said. “The staff giving back to the community just sets a positive example for students and reinforces lessons in the classroom.”