WHS Class of 2010 Donates $10K to Winchester Scholarship Foundation

The Winchester Scholarship Foundation (WSF) is the recipient of a $10,000 donation from the Class of 2010. This gift will be used to create a named fund in honor of the Class of 2010 that will provide scholarships in perpetuity for students who demonstrated an unusual dedication to community service.

Class President Matt Marotta and his fellow class officers, parent advisors and cabinet members started early in their freshman year to raise funds that would help defray the cost of the Senior Prom and other class activities. What they didn’t realize at the time was that fundraising would become a passion as well as a means to help others in our community and beyond. 

During their weekly brainstorming sessions, the class officers came up with some very original fundraising ideas and improved on some old ones. The parents got involved and suddenly they were selling floral arrangements at Thanksgiving, running raffles, bake sales and face painting at Town Day. “Kiss a Fish”, dances, selling tee shirts/sweatshirts, concession stands during school plays, Mr. WHS and even held a “practice” SAT with KAPLAN at the helm were also organized.

During their senior year they hit the jackpot by recruiting Captain Richard Phillips of the Mearsk Alabama to talk about his ship’s capture by Somali pirates in 2009.  Over 400 people attended to hear his nail biting, heroic story. Half the money raised went to the class and Captain Phillips donated the other half to the Cancer center. 

 “I was impressed with the maturity of the students I had the pleasure of working with," said Maribeth Canning, Vice President of the Winchester Hospital Foundation. "They were well-organized and dedicated to community service. We were touched by their efforts and generosity on behalf of our cancer patients.”

“This WSF donation is another example of why I am so proud of the Class of 2010," said Winchester High School Principal Thomas Gwin. "They gave a great deal back on a local, national and global scale. They raised money for the Woburn Food Pantry, Winchester Hospital Oncology Center, Transition House in Boston and tutored students in our elementary schools. They shot hoops for Haiti, played ping pong for a water purification system in Beijing, Desserts for Doctors to raise money for Partners in Health and directed the “Ragun Cajun” events to help New Orleans.  Collectively the class was more interested in making the school community a stronger and healthier place than in promoting individual accomplishments. The Class of 2010 showed a greater commitment to service than any other WHS class that I can remember.”

The Class of 2010 donation will help the WSF continue its mission. Significant WSF events during the past year were the establishment of the Mim Reid Scholarship Fund by Mim’s colleagues and students to honor a special Special Education teacher at Winchester High School. In addition, during their 50^th reunion, the WHS Class of 1960 added $10,300 to the scholarship fund they endowed during their 40^th reunion. These donations, as well as the Class of 2010 donation, are a positive reflection upon the quality of education in Winchester.

The WSF was founded in 1945 and was built on the belief that education unlocks the doors to opportunity. During the last five years, the WSF awarded nearly $1.5 million in need-based scholarships to  students who graduated from WHS. During the current academic year, 102 scholarships totaling $300,495 were awarded to WHS graduates. Of the 102 awards, 33 scholarships totaling $109,495 were awarded to members of the WHS Class of 2010. 

If you would like to make a donation, visit the WSF site.