NEWSLETTERS & PRESS
Press Release April
2008
Laguna Beach High School
Dr. Austin, Principal
Author: Kevin Yates
LBHS Scholarship Foundation 20th Anniversary
Our
community’s heartfelt generosity is reflected throughout our students’
educational lifetime at Laguna Beach Unified School District. At our high
school Honors Convocation June 4, their support will ease the financial challenges
for many of our graduating seniors as they continue their education beyond
the borders of high school. From the benevolent 1938 beginning when the Ebell
Club, an outstanding women’s community service organization, first gave
scholarships until today, the twenty year anniversary of the Laguna Beach
High School Scholarship Foundation (LBHSSF), businesses, community organizations,
service clubs, educational organizations, individuals, and families have bestowed
financial gifts which further educational opportunities for our graduates.
Dr. Don Austin, LBHS Principal elucidates, “The efforts of our stake holders to support our students’ college endeavors are absolutely incredible! Students are recognized in the form of scholarships created by the generous donations of our community. Our Laguna Beach High School Scholarship Foundation Committee works tirelessly to ensure a process that is efficient and transparent. Our staff works in committees to discuss students’ personal, academic, and social strengths. Our LBHSSF efforts are clearly an example of a village working together towards a common good!”
The tireless commitment of our community and school “village” has expanded our scholarship program exponentially and each person has played a vital part in the program’s continued success. Our scholarship “village” includes LBHS staff past and present, Jan Fritsen, counselor until 1986, Walt Lawson, counselor until 2001, and currently Jeannie Harrell, Community Relations, past and present LBHSSF Board of Trustees, parent and community members.
On April 25, 1988, our Charter was officially approved and LBHSSF became a non-profit affiliate of A Chapter of Dollars for Scholars®, which is a program of the Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation of America. This event made it possible for the LBHSSF to have their own tax identification number and made it possible for people to contribute and deduct the full amount on their tax returns. At last year’s Honors Convocation, almost $200,000 in scholarships was awarded to one hundred graduating seniors of the Class of 2007!
Marge Earl, LBHSSF President, applauds the tireless dedication of our LBHSSF volunteers, “The trustees that make up our Board have enormous passion for their mission: “supporting a community that values education and believes in our students.” It is truly an honor to work with the quality of volunteers that that make up this organization. Also without the dedicated staff support of Jeannie Harrell at LBHS this program would not continue to grow and thrive. And growth for this organization translates directly to more “dollars for our scholars”. As this year’s President I would like to invite all past trustees of LBHSSF to celebrate the accomplishments of LBHSSF with us at a reception on April 25th. If you would like to attend but have not received an invitation, please contact Margie Bell at 494-2864 or Jeannie Harrell at 497-7750 extension 212.
Jeannie Harrell agrees, “I am so very grateful for the vision and hard work of past and present LBHSSF volunteers. In the last decades the wheels have been set in motion to perpetuate a caring and sincere legacy. I am honored to be a part of an organization that will fuel the torch and pass it on to the next generation of those with the same generous hearts.”
Dr. Robert Fraisse, LBUSD Superintendent concludes, “Clearly, the generosity of this community is evidenced through the long standing practice of supporting the hopes and dreams of all of our graduates. We are indeed fortunate to be part of such a community.”