Staples Tuition Grants Awards a Record-Breaking $407,000 for the 2023-24 School Year
May 31, 2023
On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, STG donors and current award recipients gathered at the Staples High School auditorium for the annual Awards Ceremony.
This year, through the generosity of community donors, STG awarded a record-breaking $407,000 to 116 students, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $7,500. The 2023-24 award recipients will attend 80 institutions of higher learning in the fall. In addition to the STG General Fund, 91 Named Awards were distributed, reflecting the history and stories of individuals, families, and organizations from Westport and beyond.
The ceremony was hosted by Dan Woog and included several guest speakers, including First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker; Dick Kalt, a former STG board member and donor with the Kalt Family Award, and Faiza Qureshi, a SHS ’17 graduate and past STG award recipient.
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 part of the anniversary celebration, STG created the 80th Anniversary Community Award, which was open for donations for 80 days between February and April of this year, and donors made donations in $80 increments. Tim Steele, STG Co-President, announced to the evening’s attendees that the 80th Anniversary Community Award raised $12,000, which was distributed to several student recipients in attendance.
To learn more about establishing a named award, please contact donation@staplestuitiongrants.org for more information.