55th annual Dollars for Scholars Phone-a-Thon March 4th-8th

Published in the March 1, 2018 edition

By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — For over half a century, the town’s residents have answered the call, literally, through the annual Dollars for Scholars Phone-a-Thon in support of providing scholarships to graduates of North Reading High School pursuing a college education.

Now, 55 years later, NRHS students will once again be reaching out to the town’s residents, calling local households seeking pledges of donations starting Sunday, March 4 through Thursday, March 8, and they are counting on your generosity to continue this tradition.

The North Reading chapter of Dollars for Scholars has awarded more than $926,000 in scholarship awards over the decades.

THE SELECTMEN helped kick off the annual Dollars for Scholars Phone-a-Thon Monday night by proclaiming March 4-8 to be “North Reading Dollars for Scholars Week.” From left: Selectmen Chairman Mike Prisco, Selectmen Andrew Schultz and Bob Mauceri, Dollars for Scholars Chapter President Kathy Acciavatti, and Selectmen Kathryn Manupelli and Steve O’Leary. (Maureen Doherty Photo)

Chapter President Kathy Acciavatti attended Monday night’s Selectmen’s meeting to accept the board’s proclamation declaring the week of March 4-8 “North Reading Dollars for Scholars Week” and to raise awareness of the phone solicitation campaign.

“It’s when we make the calls from either the High School or Century 21. We are asking for donations for the scholarships for North Reading High School students and also our post-graduate residents of North Reading,” Acciavatti said. “Last year, we gave away $29,000 and we had 49 scholarships; 18 of them were post-grad.”

She added, “We’re expecting a very big class this year.” In addition to supporting NRHS graduates, the program is open to town residents seeking education beyond high school.

Selectmen Chairman Mike Prisco thanked all the volunteers for the time they spend to benefit the current and future students of the town.

“I welcome anyone who would like to volunteer,” Acciavatti said. “A lot of the kids who have received scholarships come back and do help.”

Selectman Steve O’Leary also praised the efforts of the organization. “My two boys were beneficiaries of it and it assisted them in covering some of the costs associated with tuition and fees. As a parent, I certainly appreciated it too because the cost of education certainly hasn’t gone down. The work of the board members and the kids who volunteer has paid dividends for 55 years. We urge everybody to answer the phone when they call.”

The nonprofit all-volunteer organization is locally run and was originally founded in 1963 as the Citizens’ Scholarship Foundation. It is now a program under the umbrella Scholarship America. All funds raised directly benefit the students. They maintain a website at www.northreading.dollarsforscholars.org and online applications for 2018–19 academic year scholarships are now available.

Student participation in the annual Phone-a-Thon is taken into consideration by the board during the scholarship award process and the success of the Phone-a-Thon determines the number of scholarships they are able to present at graduation.

Dollars for Scholars also maintains endowment funds established in memory of loved ones or in honor individuals, clubs, organizations, businesses and high school classes. Information about the endowments and other volunteer opportunities to benefit the organization can be found on the site or by contacting a member of the committee.

In addition to Acciavatti, Dollars for Scholars board members are: Alison Connolly, vice president; Brenda Beherrell, secretary; and Alison Carlson, treasurer. Volunteer members include: Terri Cheney, Mary Pat DeSwarte, Amy DiChiara, Maureen Fagen, NRHS Principal Anthony Loprete, Fiona Maxwell, Lena McCauley, Donna Murphy and Mary Walsh. Student representatives on the board are Owen Maxwell (Class of 2018) and Rebecca Curry (Class of 2021).