Our community can be twice proud. Once, for our 49 graduating seniors from BRHS, and secondly, for the continuing and growing number of grants made by the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund. At Awards Night on June 9, BRSAF awarded 27 scholarships to 2016 graduates of Boothbay Regional High School. BRSAF board president, Brad Hastings, and Sue Norton, chairman of the awards committee, presented the scholarships.

This year, a total of 76 awards totaling $334,500 were issued. In addition to the 27 presented to graduating seniors, 49 awards were made to Boothbay High School graduates who are in their second, third or senior years of post-secondary education. Two awards were granted to two students in graduate degree programs.

There are two important aspects of the support garnered through the generosity of this community and; these grants are available for up to six years of post secondary education or training, and, these are grants which do not need to be repaid.

Of the 76 awards granted, 66 were from named funds. In the past five years the total amount of awards has grown from $187,750 for 54 recipients to the $334,500 this year for 76 recipients. The average amount of each grant is now $4,400. This financial aid is needs-based and as such helps to meet the costs associated with further education for these recipients.

Each year, the Board of BRSAF also presents an honorary scholarship award recognizing a significant contribution to the BRSAF, to education or to the general welfare of the community. This year’s award honors Cy Seifert, who has performed invaluable service to the BRSAF for many years. The 2016 award went to Gabe Purin who will attend the University of Vermont to study Exercise Science.

The cost of higher education continues to rise at a steep rate, as do associated costs. The BRSAF will continue to work to meet the challenge of helping our graduates attend the college, university, professional or technical schools of their choice through the generosity of this community.