The Abbotsford Community Foundation (ACF) has allocated 335 scholarships and bursaries totalling almost $330,000 to graduating local students.
Board chair Andrea Senft said the funds from community groups, companies and individuals enabled ACF to assist a total of 268 students planning to attend post-secondary education this fall.
Student awards are funded by income from endowments and annual donations. This year there were several new student awards, including the Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association – John Simpson, The Honda Way, Badesha and Associates, Beant Singh Dhaliwal Memorial, Joyce Primrose Memorial, Hurricanes Vaisakhi Educational, Kerkhoff Technologies, Overlanders Manufacturing and Patricia Huston Memorial.
The awards would normally be presented at graduation ceremonies, but this year due to the pandemic, the ACF provided virtual congratulatory messages from donors to their selected recipients, along with some videotaped presentations of the various awards.
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As well, scholarship recipients sent a photo of themselves with their award letters that were shared with the donors.
Since the program began in 1995, the ACF has provided more than $5 million in scholarships and bursaries to Abbotsford high school graduates.
ACF executive director Wendy Neufled said the ACF is proud to partner with the Abbotsford School District to facilitate the program.
“Our impact on these students’ learning is a lasting legacy for the community and the ACF is honoured to be able to invest in the future of our local young people. This program is inspiring in so many ways,” she said.
The following high schools are part of ACF’s Student Awards Program: Abbotsford Senior Secondary, Abbotsford School of Integrated Arts, Abbotsford Traditional Secondary, Bakerview Centre for Learning, Mennonite Educational Institute Secondary, Rick Hansen Secondary, Robert Bateman Secondary, W. J. Mouat Secondary and Yale Secondary.
For details on how to set up a scholarship or bursary with the ACF, contact Wendy Neufeld at 604-850-3755 or visit abbotsfordcf.org under “Student Awards.”
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