St. Mary Parish Foundation awards nearly $12,000 to schools

The St. Mary Parish Foundation awarded nearly $12,000 to nine schools to purchase novels for middle school students.
The foundation, an affiliate of Community Foundation of Acadiana, made donations Wednesday to B. Edward Boudreaux, Berwick Junior High, Centerville High, Franklin Junior High, Morgan City Junior High, Patterson Junior High, Hanson Memorial High, Central Catholic High and Holy Cross Elementary.
With a greater emphasis on reading in schools, the school system notified the foundation of a need for additional novels for reading classes in middle schools, St. Mary Parish Foundation Board Chair Dr. Donna Tesi said.
St. Mary Parish Schools Superintendent Donald Aguillard expressed the public school system’s gratitude for the donation.
“My sincere thanks are extended to the members of the St. Mary Parish Foundation for recognizing the importance of providing much needed funds to improve educational opportunities for our students. Working collaboratively with the St. Mary Parish Foundation, we are committed to providing our children with the educational opportunities leading to an improved quality of life,” Aguillard said.
The purpose of St. Mary Parish Foundation is to fund programs which broadly impact St. Mary Parish and enhance the quality of life in the parish.
“These awards align with our mission to help enhance the quality of life in St. Mary Parish. They will help us to improve our schools, our children and, ultimately, our community. We are honored to have the community’s support through annual fundraisers to be able to offer these awards,” Tesi said.
Deacon Vic Bonnaffee, principal of Central Catholic said the donation would be of great help.
“This will be very beneficial for purchasing novels for our junior high programs, and we are very appreciative,” Bonnaffee said.
The funds for the awards were raised by St. Mary Parish Foundation’s board of directors through galas held in 2011 and 2013 and through a raffle in 2012.
The foundation also previously awarded $10,000 to five schools in St. Mary Parish through a competitive grant process for innovative projects to promote music and arts culture in schools. St. Mary Parish Foundation’s first grants in 2010 benefitted eight high schools and totaled $8,000.