Schools

Foundation for Excellence in Yorktown Education Awards $50,000 Grants

With the partnership of the H.W. Wilson Foundation and the Yorktown High School PTSA, The Foundation for Excellence in Yorktown Education has granted more than $50,000, and awarded two $1,000 scholarships to Yorktown High School graduating seniors Joseph Cirone and Jeffrey Naft.

The Foundation raised money at several events during this academic year including a wine tasting at Peter Pratt’s Inn, an evening of comedy at Villa Barone, a casino night/dinner dance at Tarrytown’s Doubletree Inn (where three Yorktown women – Monica Garrigan, Jane McCarthy and Donna D’Andrea – were honored for their work with the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life), a Healthy Yorktown 5K run/walk held in FDR park, and a “Mixed Bag” catalog sale, to name a few.

In addition, the FFE was supported for the third year by the H.W. Wilson Foundation. Yorktown parent Jim Phelan introduced members of the FFE to the Wilson Foundation, which was founded by one-time Yorktown resident H.W. Wilson.

"The Wilson foundation has been very generous with our causes, and this year we were so fortunate to accept a $10,000 donation," Shari Besterman said. "We are grateful to the Wilson Foundation, and Jim Phelan for recognizing our community’s needs and the Foundation’s role in meeting them."

Each Spring all Yorktown Central School District teachers are invited to submit grants to the FFE for educational tools not covered in the district budget.

"This year there were some exceptional requests from some exceptional teachers," Besterman said. "We discuss and choose the best and take great pains to fund a wide variety of grants covering all school buildings and all aspects of our children’s education."

As members deliberated grant applications a few weeks ago, they reached out to another collaborator – Yorktown High School PTSA President Dorothy Forcina  and asked if they would like to join forces and fund some of the grants. The PTSA contributed $10,000.

The Foundation presented a check in the amount of $53,151.82 covering grants in Yorktown High School, Mildred E. Strang Middle School, Crompond, Brookside and Mohansic schools.

"We thank the H.W. Wilson Foundation, Jim Phelan, and the YHS PTSA for their 
generous contributions and we thank our teachers, coaches, librarians and staff for thinking of new ways to enhance our children’s education in Yorktown," Besterman said.

Visit their website www.ffeyorktown.org for more information. 
are welcome to join.


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