Quarterly Newsletter

Fourth Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors   -   12/31/09

Facing Challenges, Aiming Higher and Achieving

Good Results in Tough Times

2009 financial statements, due shortly, will show that ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation (CVCSF) contributions were ahead of 2008 and plan, as were scholarship awards, and year-end balance. Heartening success stories, including the July Monadnock Ledger-Transcript story on the graduation and employment at Monadnock Community Hospital of our first nursing degree graduate, Priscilla Coffill, another about the early Dean’s list success of prospective chemistry teacher, Diana Lavoie,  and one described in the enclosed Alycia Mudrack Pellerin “Achiever Card,” are examples of favorable press. And six scholarship grants ranging from $600 to $6,000 were awarded to 2009 ConVal graduates.

On the importance of Mentoring and Monitoring

We have learned much in our first three years about the importance of mentoring and monitoring. Why these two terms, “mentoring” and “monitoring”? And what is the difference between the two? We think of mentoring first as counseling and guidance provided to students in the time preceding high school graduation, best provided by trained adults, qualified and authorized to serve on school grounds via such organizations as Big Brothers Big Sisters. Mentoring thus provided, in some cases, helps prepare candidates to qualify for awards and supporting assistance CVCSF provides. Monitoring is what we call guidance and counseling, including ongoing mentoring, provided by carefully selected adult volunteers (including some CVCSF directors) from the time of high school graduation through the completion of the postsecondary education programs for which our grant awards are given. And, beyond postsecondary education, we track career performance so that we may have long term awareness of the value of our work and a measure of the return on your (and our) investment.

A critical time for most of our grantees is right at the start; the transition from high school to their chosen postsecondary program. Because most were at-risk students with little expectation that they would have this opportunity they are not all well prepared to make it. Some have little or no family support or others to turn to for advice. Most have little knowledge or experience with personal finance. Some will make mistakes which, addressed promptly, need not lead to failure. Not all will complete the programs for which their grants and monitoring assistance are given. But most do succeed, with hard work and the combination of our scholarship grants and monitoring support. Their heartwarming success stories help us achieve our mission. “to give hope and confidence with community support to help more students in the ConVal region achieve their potential.”

Samantha Mannion, ConVal Class of 2009

Samantha is the winner of our 2009 CVCSF NHBB Hi-Tech Division Scholarship Award and one of our top two Class of 2009 grants. Seen here with Donna Marcin, Human Resources Director of NHBB High-Tech Division in Peterborough, Samantha plans to earn a bachelor of science degree in marine biology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. She tells us that Microbiology is not easy, but she loves being there and, though final first semester grades are not yet available, we are told that she is doing well. We can count on Samantha to make the most of this opportunity. The NHBB Hi-Tech Division has been a strong supporter of CVCSF from it’s founding in 2006 and actively supports numerous regional education programs.

Organization Development

CVCSSF officers; Philip Grisafi (VP), James Callahan (Secretary), Timothy Kolk (Treasurer), Carl Amos Johnson, (Director) and Rob Rubendall, are increasingly active in managing our organization, working with John Vance (President and Founder). It was announced at the annual meeting that Vance will step down by mid-2010 and that his successor will be Philip Grisafi. Vance will continue serving indefinitely as founding director, focusing his efforts on mentoring, public information and development. Also, Greg Scerbinski, recently retired ConVal teacher, has joined CVCSF as Website Administrator where he has already made an important contribution. (See CVCSF Website paragraph below.) Rachel Bowman, of the law firm of Bowditch and Dewey, has recently joined us to help assure that we don’t miss a beat in monitoring our grant winners and in tracking their careers beyond postsecondary graduation.

CVCSF Website up and Running: With the help of a Goyette Memorial grant provided via the New Hampshire Charitable Trust, we are glad to have announced in November that our website is up and running To view go to www.cvcsf.org.  We are glad to have this in place, serving both to provide public access to information about us and as a valuable tool for the storage and retrieval of information essential for effective management of our organization. On it you will find information about our awards and award winners, announcements, history, press releases, photographs and plans for ongoing development. Web page design was done for us by Megan Strickland with graphic design participation by Margaret Baker–Salmon Design. Greg Scerbinski, retired last year from ConVal High School faculty, is our web page administrator who makes all this possible.

2009 Annual Meeting

Contributors, guidance personnel (who nominate candidates for our financial and mentoring support), ConVal School District Superintendent, Richard Bergeron, directors, volunteers, mentors, and one our first award winners, Priscilla Coffill, twenty-eight in all, met on November 18 at Reynolds Hall (at All Saints Church) for our annual meeting and report on progress and plans. This good mix gave all participants an opportunity to communicate with each other to acquire a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by CVCSF and its award winners and of how our program works. This open discussion approach was helpful for all. We hope to do it this way again next year, perhaps on a larger scale.

Top Jar Award

One success beyond our expectations was the result of our stepped-up campaign to raise funds through collection jars placed in stores, restaurants and other locations throughout the ConVal region. Started on a very small scale at Roy’s Market in 2008 it grew in 2009 from seven locations in January to twenty-four in December. Hoping we might raise $1,000 in the year, at year-end we had received $2,571. Our first ever CVCSF Top Jar Award (chocolates from Ava Marie Chocolates) was presented in December to Michelle and Andy Freeman, co-proprietors of the Dublin General Store. This was announced in the Ledger-Transcript on December 11 and will be again in the Dublin Advocate in January. This campaign was so successful that we were able to announce that a new, CVCSF ConVal Merchants scholarship will be awarded in June, 2010.

How are our CVCSF Scholars doing?

Fall semester grades are just coming in so it is early for a thorough report. What we can report now is that from the classes of 2007 through 2009, five have graduated or are expected to graduate this spring; four are in their second years in four-year programs and six are still in programs in which they have our ongoing financial support and monitoring assistance. We will report more fully in our March newsletter. A few are challenged, others will succeed and a few will excel. All will have had an enhanced opportunity because of your generosity and others will be motivated by their success stories to set higher achievement goals.

As always, we thank you for your ongoing support.

Third Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors September 30, 2009

Inspiring Hope and Confidence – Achieving in Tough Times

Top CVCSF scholar story of the summer: Priscilla Coffill, whose graduation from the NHTI nursing and registration as a nurse was announced in our June 30 newsletter started in her job as a nurse at Monadnock Community Hospital on July 13. Hers is a true community success story of the combined support of ConVal High School, Monadnock Community Hospital and the ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation.

         Second Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors  

Inspiring Hope and Confidence

Raising expectations: In an April 27 interview in Time about the need for reform in the American education system, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke of the need implicit in reform to raise expectations. We were glad to read this since raising expectations is what we do. This is what the words "..give hope and confidence to more students in the ConVal region to achieve their potential" in our mission statement is about. We may not have an impact on education in the rest of the nation, but we can and do here. What impresses us is that once discouraging disadvantages for some are cleared they can just take off and excel. Alycia Mudrack, a dropout in her junior year, barely graduated from ConVal High School but made the dean's list in her first term at Hesser College, earned her associate degree this May and has already started classes to earn a second degree. Diana Lavoie is another example "Diana is proving that hard work makes success." So said surprise guest and retired ConVal coach and teacher, Art Giovannangeli (Mr.Gio, pronounced "Joe") at a Peterborough Lions Club reception on June 8. Diana, the CVCSF Peterborough Lions Club Scholar (Class of 2008), a ConVal late starter, inspired by "Mr. Gio" to become a chemistry teacher like him and made the dean's list in her first semester at Plymouth State University. (See enclosed copy of June 11 Monadnock Ledger-Transcript story CVCSF winners in the Class of 2009: A top award this year of $6,000 was presented on June 25 to Samantha Mannion, our first CVCSF NHBB HiTech Scholarship Award winner (more on this below). Samantha is "passionate about learning more and doing what I can to save the life in the oceans." She will study marine biology at UNH. Another $6,000 award went to Kathleen Taber who loves working with kids, has a strong passion for teaching and will study early childhood education. With negligible financial resources she will attend a nearby community college in Florida where she can live with her grandparents. An intermediate award of $2,700 has been granted to Patrick Morn to study engineering mechanics at West Virginia University. As standard procedure, a CVCSF Director or volunteer is assigned to each of our top three winners to monitor their progress and assist where possible and appropriate. Philip Grisafi, CVCSF Director, is Patrick Morn's monitor; Mary Lou O'Neil, another CVCSF Director is assigned to Samantha and to coordinate with Donna Marcin of NHBB HiTech Division, our partner in her award; and Robin Eichert of Peterborough, well acquainted with CVCSF, has volunteered to be Kathleen Taber's monitor. These connections are maintained until our scholars complete the programs for which our awards are granted. Other 2009 awards were $600 each to Gregg Brosseau (Peterborough); Carol Busch (Bennington); and Lisa Taylor, Francestown. The CVCSF NHBB HiTech Division Scholarship Award: CVCSF is particularly glad to have provided this scholarship award in partnership with NHBB HiTech Division. Samantha Mannion, the CVCSF NHB Hi-Tech Division scholar was the top winner of this year's CVCSF awards. As a modest graduation present she will receive from CVCSF a copy of Rachel Carson's book, The Sea Around Us. With Mary Lou O'Neil of CVCSF monitoring Samantha's progress, NHBB and its employees will be kept well informed and special events may develop to strengthen this connection. NHBB HiTech Division has been a generous supporter of education and other causes in the ConVal region and a supporter of CVCSF since its inception. News about 2007 winners: Three of our 2007 winners have graduated from the programs CVCSF supported. The fourth is doing well with two years to go in her four year program at BYU. Two who have graduated from associate degree programs must be the sort of successes Jack Welch had in mind in his June 25 Business Week advice to 2009 graduates that the key to success today is to overachieve. Alycia Mudrack and Priscilla Coffill have demonstrated that once disadvantages are overcome our scholars can achieve more than they imagined and inspire others to do the same. (See enclosed Scholars Newsletter #2 about Priscilla's nurse's pinning ceremony and graduation.) News about 2008 winners: All six of our 2008 award winners are doing well. Diana Lavoie, Peterborough Lions Club Scholar, on the dean's list in her first semester studying chemistry at Plymouth State University was mentioned above and is the subject of a news story enclosed. Morgan Boutwell, Monadnock Rotary Club Scholar, is earning top grades in business education at Southern New Hampshire and Justina Lafreniere, in the nursing program at UMass, Dartmouth continues to make progress there. Ben Holt (Bennington) animation and graphic game programming, Jie Lu (Dublin) and Nick Dostaler (Bennington) have all successfully completed their work through June and should graduate from their programs next year. Note well that with a total of sixteen awards given to disadvantaged students there has not been a single failure so far. In choosing our CVCSF scholars from an at risk population we know a 100% success rate will not go on forever, but so far we are doing well and making a difference. 2009 fundraising CVCSF financial circumstances are strong in spite of the state of the economy. Thanks to you, our continuing and generous contributors, particularly for grants this year of $10,000 from the Maude Corser Family Fund, $5,000 from the Gilbert Verney Foundation and a $1,500 contribution from the Peterborough Rotary Club we are confident that we will reach our 2009 goal. Collection jars, now in twenty locations (the newest in the Peterborough Diner and the Francestown General Store) are doing better than we expected with $1,100 raised through June. No big bequests yet to enhance sustainability, but they may come if we continue doing well as we expect to do.  New director elected: Philip Grisafi was elected as a CVCSF director on May 20 and as a member of its Executive Committee on June 25. He is a senior vice president of Mosse & Mosse Associates. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, as Treasurer of the Peterborough Players and the Monadnock Rotary Club and on the finance committee of the Union Congregational Church in Peterborough.

       First Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors

Inspiring Hope and Confidence

"A tough market for graduates" is the headline in today's Monadnock Ledger-Transcript in a story about tough times ahead for this year's graduating class at Franklin Pierce University. Imagine what is ahead for those not even finishing high school, and for those with serious disadvantages but good potential who do graduate but lack the support necessary to be able go on to postsecondary education. These students are the precious resources ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars® (CVCSF) is here to help and, through their success stories, to inspire hope and confidence in others with disadvantages and potential for success. Overcoming disadvantages and winning in hard times: Ten CVCSF grant winners in ConVal classes of 2007 and 2008 are proving that disadvantages can be overcome and more. CVCSF identifies disadvantaged students with potential for success early in their senior year. Giving them encouragement, mentoring and financial assistance plus monitoring their progress after high school makes a big difference. Their 100% success rate, so far, says that this is so. Five have won our top scholarship grants of just over 50% of New Hampshire Community College tuition. Four received awards of $500 (of which two were supplemented based on first semester performance). One was the winner of a $250 stipend by virtue of having qualified at the first level of competition. The first of these ten graduated in October 2008. Two will graduate in May 2009. Four are in four year baccalaureate degree programs.  Three are in associate degree or job training certificate programs. All are succeeding. Two have had dean's list recognition in their first semesters. CVCSF is making a difference, inspiring hope and confidence and raising the expectations of disadvantaged ConVal region students. Report on Winners in the ConVal Class of 2008 CVCSF awarded six grants to Class of 2008 graduates. All were chosen on the basis of the particular disadvantages they had to overcome, demonstrated desire to achieve and potential for success. They were given mentoring and the limited financial assistance CVCSF is able to provide. Each case is unique. Morgan Boutwell, Justina Lafreniere and Diana Lavoie, all in four year baccalaureate programs, won two-year $5,800 scholarships. (That they are in four year programs is coincidental. Half of those who have won our support so far have entered two-year associate degree or job training certificate programs.) Featured 2008 Award Winner Diana Lavoie (Peterborough), CVCSF Peterborough Lions Club scholar, is making great progress at Plymouth State University toward her degree in Chemistry Education. Diana was a slow starter. She did not have good grades at ConVal High School until she found herself and her desire to learn in Arthur Giovannangeli's chemistry class in her junior year. On her application she wrote "I want to be as good a teacher as Mr. Gio. He was the greatest ..." She is off to an excellent start at Plymouth State University and was on the Dean's List at the end of her first semester. She has been accepted as an exchange student at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana  and will be there for her sophomore year. She and her mother will meet with her Peterborough Lions Club scholarship supporters in June.     Morgan Boutwell (Peterborough), CVCSF Monadnock Rotary Club Scholar, is at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, working on her bachelor's degree in Accounting. She had very good grades in her fist semester (four A's and a B) and found a part-time internship at TD Banknorth in Amherst. She and her mother will visit her sponsoring Monadnock Rotary Club in Dublin again in June. Erika Rogers, Development Director of Dublin School, is Morgan's assigned monitor. Justina Lafreniere (Antrim) is enrolled in the baccalaureate nursing program at UMASS Dartmouth Her mentors at ConVal High School monitoring her progress tell us that UMASS Dartmouth acknowledges that Justina is a hardworking student who has overcome serious obstacles to enroll in college. The College Now program there has awarded her an additional scholarship grant for having been so successful in her freshman year. Other awards given to 2008 ConVal High School graduates. Benjamin Holt (Bennington) is in the associate degree program in Animation and Graphic Game Programming at the New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI) in Concord. Jie Lu (Dublin) is in the Associate Degree program in Hotel Administration at NHTI. She came to Dublin from China to start her junior year with little English language experience. She did so well (three A's and one B) in her first semester at NHTI that her award was increased to $500 per semester instead of first semester only. (Her story was featured in our December 2008 newsletter.) Nick Dostaler (Bennington) has applied his $250 stipend to enter the Auto Mechanic job training certificate program at the Universal Technical Institute in Norwood MA. Update on CVCSF Scholars in the Class of 2007  We reported in our December newsletter that our four Class of 2007 grant winners are all doing well. Lee Corigliano had graduated from his Auto Mechanic training certificate and was well employed in Hillsboro. Alycia Mudrack is expected to have her Associate degree in Juvenile Justice from Hesser College in May. Priscilla Coffill, also supported by Monadnock Community Hospital, will have her nursing associate degree at NHTI in May. Eryn Tupper continues in her art education program at BYU - Idaho with great enthusiasm. 2009 Fundraising:  Nobody expects fundraising to be easy in 2009. Thanks to a $10,000 donation from the Maude Corser Family Trust and (so far) forty-one others in response to our January and March appeals, we have had a good first quarter. Our collection jars, now in fourteen locations, are doing better than expected. At their present rate we hope they will pay for one of our top awards. We need to raise $9,500 more and we don't expect to find that much in our collection jars. New initiatives are planned to get us to our goal. Note the new brochure enclosed with this newsletter. Missed opportunity: In a March 26 letter to the editor of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, Sharon resident Barton Goodeve noted that the "economy" was "cited by many as the reason they voted against bonding $5.5 million for school district facilities projects.  It is likely that a new bond would have less cost than the current bond it would have replaced." It would have had a miniscule effect on the current budget. Funds from the new bond would have been injected into the local economy creating construction sector jobs and badly needed work would have been completed at lower cost than is likely to be possible in the future. We lost a social and economic benefit opportunity that would have happened at little or no increased cost to tax payers. You are encouraged to attend school board meetings. See calendar at www.conval.edu, information, monthly events.  CVCSF Help wanted: We want to add a Publicity and Public Information officer to serve as a member of our board of directors. We have wonderful stories to tell and we need someone to help us spread the word. For inquiries about this volunteer position contact us at info [at] cvcsf [dot] org. A return addressed envelope is enclosed for your questions and comments.

Raising Expectations 

Commitment to raise expectations: On December 16, President-elect Obama announced that Arne Duncan, Chicago School Chief Executive Officer, is his choice to serve as Secretary of Education. Obama, Vice-President Elect, Biden; and nominee, Duncan; all stressed in this announcement ceremony the point that improvements and reform in our American education system are essential if our children are to be able to compete in an increasingly global economy. This perception is not exactly news. Who could disagree? What was new was the underscored observation that improvement will not be made in our schools without raising the expectations of all concerned (students, parents, educators, politicians, American society as a whole.) Expressed positively, improvements in education and elevated expectations go hand in hand. Improve quality of education and expectations will rise. Raising expectations of disadvantaged ConVal students: Raising expectations of disadvantaged ConVal students is what the ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars® (CVCSF) does. With its supporting members and in partnership with ConVal High School Guidance personnel, CVCSF gives hope and confidence with community support to help more disadvantaged students in the ConVal Region achieve their potential. Fifteen disadvantaged ConVal seniors are to be notified on January 5 that they have been selected as candidates to receive CVCSF scholarship grants of $250 to $6,000 in 2009 for postsecondary education or job training. We expect that the success of these award winners will inspire others and help to raise their expectations as well. Need for our success more important than ever:  In a recent PBS Lehrer News Hour report it was observed that disadvantaged young people without education or job training beyond high school will be unable to find a place in line to look for a job in the economic environment expected for the foreseeable future. The challenge for all but the most qualified students is compounded by higher cost of education and reduced availability of financial aid. The hope and confidence that it is our mission to inspire can make the difference between effort to achieve and despair when it is needed most.   A special case in the ConVal Class of 2008: Exceptional award winner, Jie Lu, came to Dublin with her mother in 2006. She started her junior year at ConVal High School with limited facility with the English language, joined the soccer team, worked hard at her studies and, with special education ESL help, graduated in 2008. One of three winners of $500 CVCSF scholarship grants, she enrolled in the Hotel Administration Associate Degree program at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord. Based on her first semester progress and continuing need, she has been granted a $1,700 supplemental award to apply to the three remaining semesters in this program.  A comparable special award was given last year to Peterborough Nursing Associate Degree student, Priscilla Coffill. 100% Success Rate for CVCSF Scholars:  Of the eleven winners of CVCSF scholarship grants awarded so far, all are succeeding. It stands to reason, given the nature of our target population, that it will not always be this way, but we are delighted with their success rate and progress to date. We have found that we can give hope and confidence to disadvantaged ConVal region students to overcome obstacles, to set more ambitious goals and to try harder. They have to understand that change doesn't just happen - that taking advantage of available resources requires effort. Job opportunities for CVCSF grant winners: Some of the jobs for which trained workers are likely to be in demand in the next several years in New Hampshire  -  in health and technology, for example - do not require four year degrees and can be prepared for at lower cost in excellent associate degree programs in New Hampshire Community Colleges or elsewhere by the students we are here to serve. CVCSF top scholarship grants are intended to approximate half of the tuition fees for these programs. Report on 2007 CVCSF Scholarship Winners: All four of our 2007 grant winners are doing well. One, our first CVCSF Peterborough Lions Scholar, has already earned his job training certificate and immediate employment, and another will earn her associate degree work in February. PRISCILLA COFFILL (Peterborough) - starts the fourth semester of her associate degree in nursing program at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord next month. She should graduate and go to work at Monadnock Community Hospital in June. Her story is exceptional. Her initial scholarship award was $500. She demonstrated such promise in her first semester that she was granted an additional award of $1,000 for each of three succeeding semesters, shared by CVCSF and the Monadnock Community Hospital. LEE CORIGLIANO (Antrim) - the first CVCSF scholar to complete his postsecondary education program, graduated from the auto mechanic training program at the Porter and Chester Institute in Chicopee, MA on October 4, returned to his home in Antrim and reported for work at his new job in Hillsborough two days later. His scholarship was provided by CVCSF in partnership with the Peterborough Lions Club. ALYCIA MUDRACK (Peterborough) - will complete her associate degree program in juvenile justice at Hesser College in Nashua in February. A CVCSF scholar who had dropped out of school, returned and barely graduated, Alycia became excited about education in her senior year at ConVal and was on the Dean's list in her second semester at Hesser College. ERYN TUPPER (Antrim) - starting her second year in art education at a branch of Brigham Young University in Rexburg, ID, wrote on September 16, "This semester I am enrolled in an art history class and really loving it. It is a great program and I am excited to see what the next three years will bring." Report on 2008 Winners: The first of our 2008 winners to share midterm grades reported one A, three A- and one B-. We will report further on the progress of our seven 2008 winners in our March 31 newsletter when they will be in spring semester classes. CVCSF Financial Condition: Facing the same critical global financial crisis as other charities it is appropriate to report here on our current financial condition. We keep cash in Ocean Bank for near-term award disbursements and minimal expenses. Funds for future scholarship grant commitments, fundraising and limited operating expenses are deposited in the Vanguard Group Prime Money Market Fund. We have suffered no financial losses in any of our accounts. Previously reported plans to open an endowment fund with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to assure long-term sustainability are on hold for now. While there are no safety guarantees in this turbulent time, we believe that your contributions and ours are as safe as is currently possible. Scholarship America, parent of Dollars for Scholars, of which we are part, has been rated in the top 1% of charities for fiscal management for seven years in a row by Charity Navigator, premier charity evaluator. For an appointment to discuss financial or other matters, call John Vance at (603) 924-4063. CVCSF Help wanted: CVCSF, an all volunteer organization, would like to add a Public Information director, also to serve as a member of our board of directors. Please contact us at the address below. 2009 Fundraising Appeal: Our annual appeal for your contributions is enclosed together with a return addressed envelope for your donations, comments, suggestions or questions.

Third Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors

Six CVCSF scholarship grant winners in the ConVal class of 2008 started their postsecondary education programs this month. The top three, $5,800 grant winners, in photos below from left to right, are: (Left) Diana Lavoie with her mother (far left) and Sue Chollet, a CVCSF Founder; (Center) Morgan Boutwell and her mother; and (Right) Justina Lafreniere. Diana (Peterborough) is at Plymouth State University preparing to teach chemistry and is winner of the CVCSF Peterborough Lions Scholarship. Morgan (Peterborough) is at Southern New Hampshire University studying accounting and is winner of the CVCSF Monadnock Rotary Club Scholarship. Justina (Antrim) is at University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth, preparing for a career in Nursing.

Smaller awards went to Nat Dostaler (Bennington), enrolled in an auto mechanics certificate program at Universal Technical Institute, Norwood, MA; Ben Holt (Bennington) working on an associate degree in Animation and Graphic Game Design at New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI) in Concord; and Jie Lu (Dublin) enrolled in an associate degree program in Hotel Administration, also at NHTI, Concord.

It is coincidental that our top three awards in 2008 have been given to students in four year programs. All CVCSF winners are chosen on the basis of obstacles overcome and potential for success in their chosen career paths. Our purpose is to assure that disadvantaged students with potential graduate from ConVal High School and have financial and mentoring assistance to complete a certificate, associate or other degree program. Our support is limited to two years of postsecondary education. We want these students to graduate from high school and have postsecondary education or training to better prepare them for employment.

RiverMead Reception; In August, CVCSF award winner Diana Lavoie and her mother were introduced at a gathering of RiverMead resident supporters, Peterborough Lions Club members and others. Her story is heartwarming. Not a good student in early high school years, she was so inspired by her ConVal chemistry teacher she had to follow his example and become one herself. She excelled in her second and third years. Diane, her mother said, could not have hoped for college without her CVCSF scholarship grant. With the enthusiasm and spirit Diana demonstrated at RiverMead we are sure she will succeed.

Report on 2007 Scholarship Winners: LEE CORIGLIANO (Antrim) - the first CVCSF scholar to complete his postsecondary education program, graduates from his auto mechanic training program at the Porter and Chester Institute in Chicopee, MA this week. He is returning to his home in Antrim and to his new job in Hillsborough. ALYCIA MUDRACK (Peterborough) - will complete her associate degree program in Juvenile Justice at Hesser College in Nashua in May. ERYN TUPPER (Antrim) - starting her second year at a branch of Brigham Young University in Rexburg, ID, wrote on September 16, "This semester I am enrolled in an art history class and really loving it. It is a great program and I am excited to see what the next three years will bring." Eryn plans to earn a degree in art education. PRISCILLA COFFILL (Peterborough) - is in the third semester of her Associate Degree in Nursing program at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord and should be ready to go to work at Monadnock Community Hospital next June.

CVCSF Financial Condition:  Facing a critical and global financial crisis, it is appropriate to say something here about the financial condition of CVCSF which continues to be as strong as it could be in current circumstances. We keep cash in Ocean Bank for near-term obligations. Funds sufficient for scholarship grant commitments, fundraising and other operating expenses for the longer term are deposited in the Vanguard Group Prime Money Market Fund. We are in process of opening an endowment fund with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to assure long-term sustainability. While there are no safety guarantees in this turbulent time, we believe that your contributions and ours are as safe as is currently possible. We continue to be an all-volunteer organization. We have prepared a CVCSF Financial Vision Statement that we will be glad to share and discuss with our contributors. (For an appointment, Call John Vance at (603) 924-4063.)

Tougher times ahead for 2009 graduates:  In recent weeks it has become clear that funds available for student loans are diminishing. It is already more difficult for applicants to borrow what they need for college and it is unlikely that this situation will improve soon. This makes initiatives such as ours, and your continuing support for it, more important than ever.

Web page development: A team has been put together to develop our web page. We plan to combine professional graphic and functional design assistance with ConVal graphic arts students and faculty participation. One of our directors has agreed to oversee this project. We have applied for a modest grant to help cover this cost and hope to report on progress in our next newsletter.

Monadnock Rotary Club Wellness Festival:  Believing that wellness in education is important, just as is physical wellness, CVCSF had a booth at this downtown Peterborough Festival on September 27. The event was a great success for the Monadnock Rotary Club, Peterborough and surrounding towns, and provided us with a fine opportunity to get our award winners' stories across in a festive venue.

Changes and Opportunities at CVCSF:  Tim Kolk, Managing Partner of Brookwood Capital in Peterborough, has succeeded Christine Clinton of Dublin as Treasurer. Christine is one of the Founders of CVCSF and we are grateful to her for getting us this far. As we continue to grow we need others to become actively involved. We are presently looking for someone to be our Publicity and Public Information Director.

A reply envelope is enclosed for your questions, comments or suggestions and for those who may wish to make contributions before the end of the current calendar year. This is our quarterly newsletter and not our annual fund raiser, but contributions are always needed and appreciated.

Second Quarter Newsletter to our Contributors

Celebrating 2008 awards: On Awards Day at ConVal High School on June 13 we had three reasons to celebrate. (1) $5,800 two-year CVCSF scholarship award certificates were given to three carefully chosen and worthy 2008 graduates. (2) All four of our 2007 award winners continue to do well and two of these have found jobs they expect to go to when they graduate. (3) due to your generosity and in spite of current economic uncertainty, our financial condition is solid enough for us to expect to continue to  provide our unique program of support for seriously disadvantaged ConVal Region High School students next year, the year after and the year after that. Another Picture of Hope:  2007 CVCSF award winner Priscilla Coffill, seen here next to Joe Hayes, ConVal Guidance Department head at far right, was present to deliver $5,800 scholarship award certificates to our three 2008 winners. From left to right are Justina Lafreniere of Antrim, to enter a nursing program at the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, MA; Diana Lavoie of Peterborough, winner of the two-year CVCSF Peterborough Lions Club scholarship grant who, inspired by "Mr. Gio," her favorite ConVal teacher, will study chemistry at Plymouth State University; and Morgan Boutwell of Peterbor- ough, winner of the two-year CVCSF Monadnock Rotary Club award, who will study accounting at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester. All three are to start their classes this fall. Three additional $500 award certificates were given to other 2008 graduates to apply to the tuition cost of associate degree programs. These winners are Ben Holt (Bennington), computer programming associate degree, NHTI in Concord; Jie Lu (Dublin), hospitality and tourism associate degree, NHTI in Concord; and Linda McLean (Dublin), hospitality and tourism associate degree, Valencia Community College in Valencia, Florida. Under exceptional circumstances one or more of these stipends could be supplemented after successful first semester achievement. Our $10,000 New Hampshire Charitable Foundation challenge grant was met when we reached our goal from inception to raise $100,000 by the end of 2008. Payment funded by the Great Kids Fund was received from the Foundation in April. Growing and generous support from local businesses and other organizations for CVCSF:   In the first half of 2008 the number of local businesses and other supporting organizations tripled from eight to twenty-four over June 2007 levels. The Peterborough Lions Club which made possible the 2007 scholarship for Lee Corigliano of Antrim signed on for another scholarship in 2008 and The Monadnock Rotary Club added another. With these and individual responses to our late winter mail fundraiser we are on track to meet our financial objectives for the year. New Logo for Dollars for Scholars: Perhaps you noticed the change in our logo. The ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars® is one of more than twelve hundred Dollars for Scholars chapters. We have decided to go with the flow and use this new logo in all our stationery and promotional materials. How CVCSF Scholarship award winners are chosen: Winners are selected from a pool of deserving prospects with limited hope of postsecondary education. They are chosen on the basis of challenges faced, need for financial and other support, likelihood that our assistance will make a difference, interest in setting higher goals in life, and probability of success. These criteria preclude gender bias, but note that far more of our awards have gone to girls than to boys. More boys must learn the importance of education beyond high school before their opportunities are lost. More of those in our target population must be motivated to try harder to compete for our support. How the size of CVCSF scholarship grants is determined: Two-year CVCSF scholarship grants are intended to approximate one half the tuition rates established for the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges. Thus, when CVCSF was informed that tuition for 2007 and 2008 was to be $5,775, we set our award at $5,800 ($2,800 for year 1 and $3,000 for year 2). Where do CVCSF award winners go for postsecondary education: For some, job training certificate programs or associate degree programs in community colleges are most appropriate. Of our 2007 award winners, two are in associate degree programs, one is in a technical job training certificate program and the fourth is in a two year program which may lead to a bachelor degree.  All of these, so far, are doing well. Of six awards offered in 2008, three winners are headed for associate degree programs and three for bachelor degrees. Monitoring award winner progress: When award certificates are presented to CVCSF Scholars, transition from high school to the chosen postsecondary institutions will not always be easy. CVCSF assigns a director, founder or volunteer to monitor the progress of each award winner to assure that they do what is necessary to register for classes. After that, tracking continues until completion of the programs for which awards are granted. Carl Johnson of Ames Planning Associates, for example, is the monitor for our 2007 and 2008 CVCSF Peterborough Lions Club Scholarship winners and for our CVCSF connection with The Peterborough Lions Club. Why what we do is important: As this is being written, our nation's economic future is alarmingly uncertain. Today, more than ever, we cannot afford to waste our human and natural resources. The CVCSF mission is "To inspire confidence and hope with community support to help more students in the ConVal region achieve their potential."  In accomplishing this mission our efforts are focused on identifying and helping disadvantaged ConVal students facing obstacles to finishing high school and going on to postsecondary education. Those we help must graduate from high school and demonstrate potential for success in postsecondary training certificate or associate degree programs, or beyond, that will make them more employable, prepare them to lead more rewarding lives, strengthen our workforce and inspire others to do the same. Our financial assistance toward this end is limited to the first two years of postsecondary education. Future of CVCSF: We are building our organization to last and to find and support each year those students who best demonstrate potential for success and ability to overcome disadvantages. We have raised enough money to cover near term needs and we have started building a reserve. We expect, as a community supported non-profit, to continue to raise funds through annual mail solicitations, special events and by other means to cover current year awards, minimal expenses and, over time, to build an endowment to assure long-term sustainability. A reply envelope is enclosed for your questions, comments or suggestions or to let us know if you would like to schedule an appointment for discussion. We will also be glad to hear from prospective board members or volunteers.

First Quarter Newsletter to Our Contributors 

"It's unbelievable that they've helped people like me who can't afford to send their daughter to college," said Pamela Lechlider, Ocean National Bank teller, in an interview for a Making a Difference story published in the Keene Sentinel on January 27, 2008. We enclose a copy of this story which some of you have seen before. It features the progress of Alycia Mudrack, Mrs. Lechlider's daughter, one of our four 2007 success stories reported on and updated below. A similar Making a Difference story may be published in the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript when our 2008 winners are announced in June. Making a Difference reports are made available through local media by Giving Monadnock, a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to improve the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations by providing capacity building programs and encouraging charitable giving. The ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation (CVCSF) does make a difference. Its mentoring, financial award and monitoring of award recipients' progress make its program much more than most scholarship programs. Its mission, "to inspire confidence and hope with community support to help more students in the ConVal Region to achieve their potential," is not just about giving scholarship grants to 12 deserving graduates. It is about inspiring confidence and hope in many by giving mentoring support and scholarship assistance to a few and tracking their progress beyond ConVal. The concept works because it is worthy; because of the unique partnership between CVCSF and ConVal High School; and because of your support. Award candidates are nominated by guidance personnel and teachers based on evident inadequacy of other support, obstacles to overcome and, given our support, potential to achieve success. Nominations are presented to the CVCSF Awards Committee for final selection. Our purpose, by the examples of those we select, is to inspire more students to stay in school, graduate and set higher achievement goals so that they may have more fulfilling lives, be better citizens, and increase their capability to compete in a global economy. The success of our 2007 winners thus far is truly remarkable. In alphabetical order, here is where they stand. Priscilla Coffill (Peterborough) was awarded $500 by CVCSF for each of four semesters toward the cost of her Nursing Associate degree at New Hampshire Technical Institute. This award is being matched by Monadnock Community Hospital for her second through fourth semesters. She is doing well at school and in her rotation assignments at Concord Hospital. It is likely that she will be employed at Monadnock Community Hospital upon graduation. Lee Corigliano (Antrim), our $2,500 Peterborough Lions Club scholarship winner, today finishes the first half year in his auto-mechanics certificate program at the Porter and Chester Institute in Chicopee, Mass. His grades are good and he expects to receive his certificate in October. He has a job lined up in Hillsboro and then expects to return to his home in Antrim. We need to get him home soon to visit with the Peterborough Lions who made his scholarship award possible. Alycia Mudrack (Peterborough), awarded $2,500 for her first year and $3,000 for the second, is in the third quarter of her Associate degree program in Criminal Justice at Hesser College in Nashua. Her grades are good (sometimes on the Dean's list). Her enthusiasm for her work and her chosen career field is high. She enjoys her current course in English composition. Considering the hurdles she had to clear even to graduate from ConVal, hers is a remarkable story. She expects her associate degree in October. Eryn Tupper (Antrim), awarded $500, completed her first trimester in art education at the Brigham Young University campus in Rexford, Idaho in December. At home in Antrim for this current trimester she returns to Idaho next month. She is really happy with her classes and is excited about her career prospects. With the support she is getting from Brigham Young University and her church we expect her to succeed. Please remember that all of these four 2007 winners had obstacles to clear before they could finish at ConVal and proceed to their postsecondary programs. Financial results for 2007 were excellent. Income of $86,011 came from grants and contributions, large and small. Most of this came from a small number of major donors, making it possible to set aside more than $50,000 as a reserve for future needs, or to start building an endowment, essential for long-term sustainability. Since contributions came from more than a hundred individuals, businesses and organizations, we know that our support base is broad, an encouraging sign for a small, volunteer charitable organization such as ours. Expenses of only $6,002 were very low because we had very little start-up expense and only half a year of award distributions to provide. Such a ratio of income to expense is not ever likely to happen again, but you can be assured that our condition going into 2008 is strong. The challenge for the long term is to continue to raise enough income each year for current year awards and expenses plus enough to compensate for inflation and to add a little each year to our reserves. 2008 Award Action Plan   In December 2007, we selected 12 prospective 2008 graduates to be given $250 award certificates in June and notified them of eligibility to compete for larger awards. Six of these were selected last week to receive an additional $250 in June ($500 certificate total). Of these, three in June will be given $5,800 award certificates for two-year programs ($2,800 for year 1 and $3,000 for year 2). Eligibility to receive any of these awards is contingent upon entering some sort of post high-school education or job training certificate program. Those who win the $5,800 awards but elect one-year programs will receive $2,800 only. In limited and extraordinary circumstances, the Awards Committee may recommend awarding additional support after demonstration of satisfactory first-semester performance, continuing need, and potential for success. In the class of 2007, Priscilla Coffill is such a case. Do you have suggestions? Would you like to become actively involved with CVCSF? We will be glad to hear from you. We will need volunteers as we grow. These quarterly newsletters are intended to keep you informed of our progress and significant events. An addressed envelope is enclosed for you to send comments or inquiries to P.O. Box 372, Peterborough, NH  03458. You can also reach us via e-mail at info [at] cvcsf [dot] org.                                             Good read. In our noble efforts to help disadvantaged kids gain access to education opportunity, we are clearly outclassed by Greg Mortenson, founder of the Central Asia Institute, who in 1993, after a K-2 climbing expedition, embarked on his mission of building schools in remote villages in Pakistan, and later in Afghanistan. Mortenson & Relin: THREE CUPS OF TEA, Penguin, paperback, on the checkout counter at the Toadstool, $15.

Third Quarterly Newsletter to our Contributors and Supporters

Contributors Reception Scheduled for 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 7, at 19 East Ridge Drive, Peterborough, home of CVCSF President, John Vance: As this is to be our first contributors’ reception, it would help us to prepare if you would let us know if you plan to attend. Please use postcard enclosed or call 924-4063.This gathering is to give us an opportunity to thank you for your support, to report on progress and to answer any questions you may have.

We have great news to report this quarter with two grants received, another applied for and increased support from area businesses and other organizations.

$50,000 gift from Clay Family Fund: This most generous gift has been awarded to support the CVCSF program “to identify and encourage at risk students to strive for and achieve their potential through postsecondary education.” This is a perfect fit, a great boost for our program and, most important, added incentive for those students who will benefit from our future grants and mentoring support.

We have assured the Clay Family Fund, as we do all our contributors, that CVCSF is an all volunteer organization, that administrative expense is kept to the minimum and that contributions we receive are used primarily for scholarship grants, mentoring assistance and, after these needs are met, to help build an endowment to enhance our long-term sustainability. Thank you, Clay Family Fund.

$10,000 grant from the Great Kids Scholarships Fund of the New Hampshire Foundation: This award comes in two installments, $5,000 based on the first $50,000 we raised in cash and pledges and $5,000 more when we have raised the next $50,000 (excluding the Clay Family Fund gift received only two weeks before this grant was approved). With $57,760 raised so far our challenge is to find $42,240 more. This gift has been awarded to ConVal Community Scholarship Foundation Dollars for Scholars® (CVCSF) “to support outreach, mentoring and scholarships for students from ConVal high school”. Clearly, this grant is wonderful for us, for the money, of course, but also because we see such recognition by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation as a treasured stamp of approval from the organization that has been working to improve the quality of life in New Hampshire since 1962.

Goyette grant application: On August 20 we submitted our application to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for a $5,665 grant from the A. Erland and Hazel N. Goyette Foundation for 2008 operating and fundraising capacity building expenses. Results of Goyette grant applications are usually known by December.

Increase in number of supporting regional employers: With a special campaign in July, August and early September we added eleven more businesses and other organizations to our regional support base on the premise that our initiative is about workforce development as much as it is charity. Those who have been with us from early days are: Ames Financial Planning Associates; Gilbert Verney Foundation; Juniper Peterborough, LLC; Monadnock OBGYN; Monadnock Rotary Club; Ocean National Bank; Peterborough Lions Club; and The Toadstool Bookshops. The new eleven are: Brady’s Bar and Grill; CIM Industries; Edward Despres, CLU; Jellison Funeral Home; Kaufhold Memorial and Stoneworks; Masiello Insurance (Peterborough); Microbends, Inc; Monadnock Community Hospital; Roy’s Market; Sims Printing; and Judith Vance, Fine Art Appraisal.

2007 CVCSF Scholars: Our three June scholarship grant winners have had mixed progress. The first, already in an associate degree program at Hesser College, went directly to school, starting night classes on July 9, did very well in her first mid-term exams and has found a part-time job with which she also has health insurance coverage. The second, enrolled in an auto mechanics certificate program at a Porter and Chester Institute facility at Westover, MA, is scheduled to start classes on October 15. Carl Johnson, this student’s CVCSF monitoring Director, has met with him and is in contact with the Peterborough Lions, co-providers of this CVCSF Peterborough Lions Scholarship. Lee is on track for a good start. Our third winner has been less fortunate and was unable to raise enough additional financial support in time to start his year-long welding certificate program at the Manchester Community Technical College. While this is a disappointment for all concerned, the good news is that our award offer to him has been extended for a year and three mentors are working to get him into this course next year. We will not give up on our worthy candidates without extra effort for them to succeed.

There was also a CVCSF $500 runner-up award to a 2007 ConVal graduate who started shortly after Labor Day in the Nursing Associate Certificate Program at the N.H. Technical Institute. We will observe her progress and, if she is doing well and continues to demonstrate need for our support, we will consider awarding additional assistance to her in her remaining three semesters.

New CVCSF volunteer to chair Public Information, Publicity and Recognition Committee: Andrew Brescia, Communications Director at Lawrence Academy in Groton and Peterborough resident, has joined our team to manage our public information program and communications. We have done pretty well with press releases in our first year, but we need to broaden our scope of coverage, to develop our web page and increase awareness of our work and progress.

Do you have questions? An envelope is enclosed to send us a note at P.O. Box 372, Peterborough NH 03458.