What is A-REF?
The Athol-Royalston Education Foundation is a non-profit organization comprised of concerned citizenry working to improve our local public schools. Basically, there are two ways A-REF seeks to make positive change.
First, we raise money that is distributed in “mini-grants” to local teachers and community members who want to tackle creative projects beyond the capacity of the school budget. In the dozen years since the group formed, A-REF has funded many exciting enrichment programs at all levels of education from pre-school to high school. Learn about our past grants, and how to apply for a grant.
Second, A-REF seeks to raise friends for the schools. A primary goal is to advocate for community participation in the Athol-Royalston Regional School District. A-REF funded projects typically have a component in which local groups or individuals collaborate with schools. Members of the Athol Senior Center, Athol Historical Society, Athol Bird and Nature Club as well as guest authors, business people, artists, chaperones and role models from the community are often brought into the schools through A-REF grants.
So, where do we get the money for all of this? Fundraising of course.
We raise money through members’ generous annual contributions. Click here to join us!
We hold three rather “gala” fundraising events each year
- the wildly popular Father-Daughter Dance
- “Blues in the Ballroom” a toe-tapping time held in a historic home
- our annual Oktoberfest, known for its good food, music and camaraderie
Our Roots
The Athol-Royalston Education Foundation began with another group, Partners in Education in Athol and Royalston. P.E.A.R., funded by the Massachusetts School-Linked Services Program during the 1990's, provided programs designed to connect Athol and Royalston parents with their children's schools. In 1998, a small group of people from the P.E.A.R. Executive Committee started working on a plan for continuing those programs when state grants were no longer available.
With a little money provided by the School-Linked Services grant, these original incorporators worked for a year and a half to create the Foundation. The goal was to build an organization that:
- was independent of the Athol-Royalston Regional School District
- could provide money for programs not covered within the ordinary budget of the District
- would not only fund current projects, but ultimately build an endowment large enough to make a genuine difference in the education of our kids
The Foundation was incorporated in 1999, and held its first Annual Meeting in March of 2000. Today it has grown to 175 contributing members, and has been able to distribute from $4,000 to $7,500 per year in mini-grants for creative school programs.
