AMESBURY — Amesbury Educational Foundation’s 23rd annual Hall of Honor ceremony gave educators and community members alike the chance to celebrate education on Friday evening.
Every year, the hall of honor highlights a former educator, former student and a “friend of education” who made a positive impact on the district.
This year, Ralph Noon, a former Amesbury High School teacher; Terry Fortin a former student who graduated from Amesbury High in 1982; and Sam Wilmot, a friend of education, were selected.
In honor of their induction into the Hall of Honor, the trio addressed students at Amesbury High, and also attended a gala that evening at St. Andre Bessette Parish.
At the gala, each inductee was introduced to attendees through a video biography before they were given the chance to address the crowd themselves. Soon, the three newest inductees will have plaques bearing their pictures and names mounted alongside countless others in the Amesbury High lobby.
Friday’s gala also served as a chance for AEFI to give out 13 grants to local educators for programs, equipment and more, which would not be possible to acquire through the school budget.
“These were innovative grants that teachers had requested for all kinds of things; programs, equipment, supplies. And, they were selected by our grants committee,” Patty Hoyt, an AEFI board member, said.
This spring, AEFI was able to award $28,393 worth of grants to educators across the district, with each of the district’s schools receiving a piece, Hoyt said.
A variety of grants were distributed, like a $1,360 grant which will be used to install 16-bay charging stations in four Amesbury Innovation High School classrooms to ensure student’s computer are charged, and a $1,739 grant to purchase three Canon cameras for the Amesbury Middle School yearbook.
Alongside the spring grants given out through AEFI, there was an official presentation of a $29,174 grant that will be put towards an upgraded computer server at Amesbury High.
The grant was funded by Institution for Savings which provided $15,000, which was then matched by the Cammett Remembrance Fund – whose proceeds are raised in the names of Woody and Marcia Cammett.
Carol Bartlett, an AEFI advisory board member, said the evening was a fun celebration of education.
“It was so exciting,” she said.
Similarly, Hoyt said the evening demonstrated how eager community members are to give back to the school system.
“The community truly comes together and shares their support one way or another, whether it’s gathering, financial support, just reminding one another of how important it is to keep the schools vibrant and moving forward for our next generation,” she said.