If Christmas Eve seemed a little brighter in Bedford, that’s because residents and business owners purchased a record number of luminaries with the bagged candles lighting walkways in the center of town and stretching into the neighborhoods.
Thanks to those sales, dozens of Bedford elementary school teachers will benefit with new resources in the field of American studies.
Officers of the Bedford Minuteman Company Memorial Scholarship Trust, a spinoff affiliate of the Bedford Minuteman Company, on Thursday presented a check for $5,000 to school officials to enhance curricular materials.
This is the fifth year that the luminaria sales have been directed to augmenting the schools’ library and classroom resources, said Paul Ciaccia, president of the trust. The cumulative gift has exceeded $20,000, he said, and proceeds also fund a scholarship to the recipient of the Marion Bryan Good Citizen Award.
Ciaccia was joined at Lt. Job Lane School by Chuck Hacala, treasurer of the trust, on Thursday morning to present the check to Andrea Salipante, English language arts coordinator for the elementary schools; Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tricia Clifford, who oversees the schoolwide literacy program; and Principal Rob Ackerman.
Salipante pointed out that the district will be selecting a new literacy curriculum for the elementary grades later this spring, so she will direct the donated funds to resources compatible with any of the plans.
Grade-level American studies books for teachers to read aloud to the class are one likely purchase. Salipante said this “common experience” is an effective way for students to learn skills like story structure and vocabulary.
“This is something that is near and dear to us,” said Ciaccia.
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A wonderful example of community together – let’s hope we can keep this small town character