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Annual Report

One Staples graduate is the first in his family to attend college—heading to a private university to study business. Another is a young man who dreams of becoming a plastic surgeon. A third is a young woman and theater student balancing jobs to help cover expenses to help their family and to pay for college.

What they share is not just drive and talent, but the backing of our town and our extended community of friends, families, businesses and civic groups. In FY25, thanks to the generosity of so many, Staples Tuition Grants awarded $401,000 to 102 students attending 71 colleges and universities. These grants—ranging from $1,000 to $7,500—help close the financial gap for graduates whose families cannot fully meet the cost of higher education.

Westport has embraced this mission for 82 years. Even before today’s tuition rates—often approaching $100,000 annually—our community recognized the importance of making higher education more accessible. That need is greater than ever: 25% of each Staples graduating class receives financial aid.

This year, our community stepped up:

 

Behind every statistic is a student’s story—of ambition, persistence, and gratitude. On behalf of the STG Board of Directors, thank you to our donors, students and their families, the supportive counselors and administrators at Staples High School and many town organizations for ensuring these stories continue to unfold. We share a common purpose to support the ambitions of students to enable them to prioritize their education – making a world of difference. The financial burden of higher education is only growing and we look forward to working with you to be as generous next year as we have been in FY25. 

Sincerely,


Keyur Patel & Joan Hogan Gillman

Co-Presidents, Fiscal Year 2025, Staples Tuition Grants

 

Click here to download the 2025 Annual Report