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The mission of the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund is to provide need-based financial assistance to Boothbay Region High School graduates seeking education beyond the secondary level.
Over 55 years ago, a group of community members who wanted to help young people who aspired to furthering their education after graduation from Boothbay Region High School, came together to form the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (BRSAF) organization. Today, the BRSAF, led by an all-volunteer board, provides financial assistance in the form of loan-free grants to BRHS graduates and alumni.
The BRSAF has been able to cover a portion of students’ educational expenses thanks to the continued generosity and committed support from individuals, community organizations, and businesses. These contributions to the annual fund or capital gifts made to establish named funds or to increase our invested funds have been critical in facilitating the education of so many.
Colleges and other post-secondary institutions use the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine a family's Student Aid Index (SAI) to the student's cost of attendance (COA). The difference between the COA and the SAI is the student's unmet need. Most schools then try to meet that unmet need by offering a financial aid package. While that package may help, it doesn't generally cover all of the unmet need. BRSAF then uses a needs-based formula to assist with the gap remaining after the financial aid package is applied.
BRSAF is dedicated to providing grants to support BRHS graduates and alumni who are in good standing and in their first through sixth year of study at a college or university, community college, trade school, or other professional training. BHRS alumni who return to higher education later in life are also eligible. Often the grants increase after the first year.
BRSAF is a volunteer Board of Directors from the Boothbay region working with Boothbay Region High School.
Each year, the monies raised during our annual fund drive are combined with funds from our investments to fund our grants. In the last five years, we have funded roughly 391 grants, with an average grant size of $4,900. These grants have a significant impact to reduce the cost of attendance for these students/parents, however costs continue to increase, and to that end, we need the generosity of many donors!
Bob grew up in North Bellmore, NY, and graduated from the US Coast Guard Academy with a BS in Marine Science and a Commission as an Ensign in the Coast Guard. He served over 22 years on active duty, retiring as a Commander. While on active duty, Bob received MS degrees in Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology and Tufts University, respectively. He continued his professional career in Washington, DC as a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service at the US Department of Energy. After retiring from Federal Government service, Bob and his wife, Susan, moved to Boothbay. They are the parents of a grown daughter who also settled in the Boothbay area. Bob is an avid fisherman and boater and also enjoys traveling and target shooting.
Jo is a graduate of Miami University with BS in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Education from Antioch New England Graduate School. She moved to Maine in 1970 and has been a resident of the Boothbay Region since 1983, where she resides with her husband, Bill. In 1985 Jo began a 30 plus year career as an educator with the Boothbay/Boothbay Harbor school district, first teaching third grade at the elementary school, then as the elementary school librarian and finally as the School District Librarian. She still has a strong connection to the Boothbay schools. Her daughters graduated from BRHS, and her three grandchildren are current students within the school district. Jo served on the board of the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library for 6 years and joined the BRSAF board in 2019. In her leisure time, Jo likes to swim, garden, kayak, hike, and snorkel in warm Caribbean waters.
Jane Arsenault has been a management consultant in the nonprofit sector since the mid-1980’s. Her work spanned the US and Canada and provided services focused on strategic planning, board development, and crafting collaborative multi-organization models. She authored "Forging Nonprofit Alliances" in 1990. In 2007, she co-founded Fio Partners, LLC, a consulting firm which works with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and government, primarily in the northeast US. Now semi-retired, she continues to oversee the firms' knowledge management system and provide training. Jane has a BA from Hunter College, and an MBA from the University of RI. After vacationing in Boothbay for over 30 years, she and her husband Raymond built a second home here in 2009. In 2019 they moved from their home in Lincoln, RI to Boothbay to enjoy semi-retirement. They have three children and five grandchildren.
P.O. Box 293
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538
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