Tourje Family Supports Project Lead the Way

August 6, 2009: Susquehanna Community School District Superintendent Bronson Stone recently received a $700 grant from the Jessie Osgood Tourje Memorial Endowment administered by The Community Foundation of Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties. The Tourje family of Forest City, proprietors of The North-Eastern PA Telephone Company, established this fund two years ago in memory of their family's matriarch to provide support for special projects in the Blue Ridge, Forest City Regional, Mountain View, and Susquehanna Community School Districts. Past grants have helped enhance the Mountain View School District Library Fund, established by former School Board member Mark Wilmot, and helped provide seed money for the Andrew F. Sienko Sr. Memorial Nature Trail at Blue Ridge School District.

This most recent Tourje grant to Susquehanna Community School District will help fund Project Lead the Way, which will augment the district's Industrial Arts program by providing students an opportunity to design programs on computers and then build their projects. Project Lead the Way is a joint effort between Penn State University and Rochester Institute of Technology to instill in High School students an interest in math, science, and engineering. Michael Matis has been hired to teach this new technology course and at the time of the check presentation was in Rochester, NY attending classes to prepare for the introduction of this new curriculum which will cost approximately $50,000. Peoples National Bank also recently provided a grant for the program through The Community Foundation. Those interested in contributing further assistance may contact Superintendent Bronson Stone at 853-4921 extension 1304, or Community Foundation President Peter Quigg at 278-3800.

Photo & Editorial Content Courtesy of Helen Foster