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Stories…. We all have them.

They are told at the dinner table with family, at Compo Beach with friends, over a cup of coffee with a co-worker, when bumping into a neighbor at Stop n Shop, or at the end of the school day when a child runs through the door.

Westport is a vibrant town with countless stories woven through days, weeks, months, and hundreds of years.

The Staples Tuition Grants story began 80 years ago, in 1943. It started with a $100 donation from the Staples High School PTA and a belief that all young adults graduating from Staples High School have the opportunity to pursue higher education. For the past 80 years, STG has helped thousands of Staples graduates attend college or vocational school.

As we celebrate our 80th Anniversary this year, we often reflect on STG’s first recipient David Hughes, who had a simple yet heartfelt quote next to his senior yearbook photo that read: “I live the life I love.”

This year, through the generosity of our amazing donors, we are awarding $407,000 to 116 students ranging from $1,000 to $7,500. Our award recipients will attend 79 institutions of higher learning in the fall. In addition to the STG General Fund, we are distributing 91 Named Awards, reflecting the history and stories of those individuals, families, and organizations from Westport and beyond.

All of our donors and recipients are pieces of the strong fabric that weaves and connects the ongoing story of our incredible Westport community. Thank you for being an integral thread in Staples Tuition Grants story, and we look forward to continuing our mission for another 80 years.

And finally, congratulations to our student recipients. We wish you the best during this journey and sincerely hope you embrace this incredible opportunity to live the life you love.

Lisa Hill & Timothy Steele
Co-Presidents 2022-23, Staples Tuition Grants
May 2023