Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Bill Van Tassel
As I chatted with Mary Briggs of Turner about the Trustees of Leavitt Institute, we simultaneously put a stop to a rabbit-trail conversation about the condition of our nation.
It was just one part of a topic Briggs, as well as her fellow trustees, was concerned about — the heavy costs of higher education.
“By golly, we want to make sure the kids (seniors of Leavitt Area High School) know about the Leavitt Trustees and the scholarships available,” she said, adding the deadline date of July 15 is really important for the graduates to keep in mind if they’re looking for some help in defraying the costs of continuing their education.
The Trustees of Leavitt Institute was founded in 1901 “…for the purpose of maintaining a high grade of education at the original Institute in Turner Center…,” and later to support the ongoing education of SAD 52 students at Leavitt Area High School. The trustees do this by offering scholarships to graduating seniors and other Leavitt graduates to further their education. In addition, the organization also awards many smaller financial awards and recognition to teacher-referred seniors showing exemplary accomplishments in special areas. The newest LAHS addition houses a special, historically appointed lounge for student meetings maintained by the trustees.
The Maine School Boards Association recently honored the trustees for their ongoing support of the education programs, extra-curricular enhancements and individual teachers at Leavitt High School. In the past six years, they have contributed more than $230,000 to the various projects applied for by more than two dozen staff members. The applications have ranged from $325 to $8,500 for worthy projects. A few examples include field trips for art and chemistry classes, music and theatrical experiences, even the construction of a maple sugar shack where students can learn how to run a business. These, and about 20 more requests, were approved for the 2017-18 school year.
Since Leavitt Area High School is the secondary public education facility in RSU 52 for residents of Greene, Leeds and Turner, the various awards and funds handled by the trustees are available by application for all seniors and programs/teachers at the school. Some financial aid is also available for Turner residents and former graduates of Leavitt, who are looking to go back to school to start a new career. A special enrichment fund available for summer programs will help expand students’ knowledge in a career field.
A board of administrators includes Dawn Youland, clerk; George Richardson, treasurer; Finance Committee leader John Kimble; and Executive Committee leader Mary Briggs, who also heads the Scholarship Committee. Other members are Tim Doyle and Elaine Chenard. The whole group meets in May each year, while the different committees are busy at other times handling applications and other requests.
Three substantial scholarships offered are Edgecomb-Knight, Kilgore, and Bonney Fund. Named after Leavitt Institute graduate Luther Bonney (1884-1978), this one fund annually awards approximately $40,000 in scholarships. Again, the deadline date for all the 2018 scholarship applications is July 15.
The Trustees of Leavitt Institute have a stellar history of townspeople and graduates taking part in the organization’s success. Briggs talks about out-of-towners she knows who can’t believe the town and RSU 52 have such a wonderful repository of financial help for its students. The generosity of former graduates and citizens continues, as a very recent six-figure donation was given to the trustees funds.
