Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation Student Bursary Renamed after Retiring Director of Education

Posted On Tuesday December 10, 2019
Anne O'Brien
Anne O'Brien, Founding Member, Durham Catholic Children's Foundation

Recognizing the importance of supporting the whole student in mind, body and spirit to foster positive learning outcomes, Anne O’Brien, Director of Education, had a vision to establish a foundation that would ensure every student could attend school with the basic daily necessities of life provided.

Six years after the launch of the Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation, its Board of Directors announced their unanimous decision to rename the Foundation’s annual student bursary for graduating students as the Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation Anne O’Brien Bursary.

“The Board of Directors is honoured to add Anne’s name to the bursary in recognition of her passion for helping students in need, which led to the establishment of the Foundation in 2014,” said Stan Karwowski, Chair of the Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation Board of Directors.

Each year, the Foundation provides $500 bursaries to two graduating students from each of the seven secondary schools, and two Continuing and Alternative Education programs within the Durham Catholic District School Board. Students are selected by the Graduation Awards Committee at the respective schools based on financial need and embodiment of the values and attributes of the Catholic Graduate Expectations.

“Thank you to the Board of Directors for supporting a vision that has helped our most vulnerable students attend school prepared for learning,” said Anne O’Brien, Director of Education for the Durham Catholic District School Board and founding member of the Foundation Board of Directors. “It is an honour to be recognized through the renaming of the bursary, and most importantly, I am thrilled that the Board of Directors will continue to support graduating students who exemplify our Catholic Graduate Expectations,” she said.

The Foundation hosts annual signature fundraising events, enabling a formal mechanism for coordinating charitable initiatives and raising funds to support student participation in all aspects of school life. With recommendations from the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) and its communities, the Foundation contributes to student well-being and achievement by providing basic needs to the most vulnerable children and families in Durham Region, enabling them to work towards reaching their full potential.

To learn more about the Foundation, visit www.durhamcatholicfoundation.ca.

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