BRHS Interact Club raises funds for education

The Boothbay Region High School Interact Club, a youth extension of Rotary, raised $1,087 Thursday, April 13, for the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (BRSAF) and Education Boothbay (EB) with a spaghetti dinner.

Interact Club students used the Rotary Clubhouse and kitchen facilities to feed 86 attendees a full spaghetti dinner with salad, garlic bread, drinks and desserts for a suggested $10 donation. "I told (the students) to expect 75 people," said Bruce Harris, president of Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club. "We sold out and then some."

BRSAF is anonprofit that awards grants to BRHS graduates to pursue post-secondary education or training at accredited institutions for up to six years. The grants are also available to alumni. Hildy Johnson, BRSAF board member, spoke on how to apply for the grants. "BRSAF awarded over $400,000 in grants last year," she announced. The fund was established in 1964 and since then has awarded over $3 million in educational funding, she said.

"Education Boothbay operates outside the school budget to enhance the educational experience," said Harris. The CNC router for STEM (science, technology engineering and mathematics) class and the book vending machine were examples he gave of how EB contributes to BRHS.

Both organizations will split the funds raised at the event 50/50.

Starting with Rachel Barter, five seniors spoke of their college plans. Barter, class valedictorian, is undecided at the moment but leaning toward attending Providence College, where she would major in math and minor in music or some other creative discipline.

Ryan Clark said he was also undecided on which university to attend but will pursue engineering. Grace Campbell, salutatorian, announced she will attend Bowdoin College in Brunswick and major in history. Veda Harriman will study nursing at University of Maine in Orono. Savannah Compare will attend University of Southern Maine's accelerated athletic training pathway in Gorham.

Diners congratulated BRHS Principal Tricia Campbell for being awarded a PhD from University of New England. "I wanted to have my doctorate completed by the time Grace graduates," she said.

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