RUMFORD – Mountain Valley High School seniors will share $62,000 in local scholarship money this year, up about $20,000 from last year, thanks to higher-paying investments and a successful effort to find people and groups willing to establish scholarships.
One of those new scholarship fund-raisers takes place this weekend at the high school. The Maine Hysterical Society is putting on a benefit for the Jane deFrees scholarship of the Rumford Historical Society at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Bruce Lindberg, MVHS principal, said the goal with the new scholarship, as with any other, is to eventually raise $10,000 so that $1,000 in scholarship money can be awarded at each graduation.
He helped increase local scholarship money this year simply by finding a better investment. That is with the Maine Community Foundation.
In the eight months since the high school’s local scholarship money has been moved to the foundation, Lindberg said a yield of $10,000 has been realized. He expects another $10,000 or so to be raised through new scholarships, such as the Jane deFrees scholarship.
DeFrees was a vital, active community member for many years with a great interest in education, said Lindberg. She taught in a private school that she and her husband, Burt, operated. She also served on the state Board of Education and was active in many local organizations.
Since Lindberg and the high school began seeking new scholarship money, about a half-dozen new ones have been established.
Among them are those set up by the Mexico Historical Society, the family of Brandon Morton, and Rick and Ricky Rockwood.
All new scholarships will be invested with the Maine Community Foundation. Lindberg said the foundation now manages $100,000 from 12 local scholarships, and all new scholarships will come under that organization’s management umbrella.
Besides those funds, Lindberg said 35 other local groups award some type of scholarship.
Most scholarships are for any senior who is going on to a two- or four-year school, while some specify a particular field of study.
Lindberg decided to start a move for more local scholarship money last year.
“In my opinion, our endowment of scholarships was not as large as it should be for a school and community this size,” he said.
He and others from the high school speak in front of many clubs and civic groups, explaining the need for more scholarships.
“We hope that every kid who goes on to school will get some local scholarship,” he said.
Anyone interested in setting up a scholarship for the MVHS graduate may contact Lindberg at the high school.
Comments are no longer available on this story