END-OF-YEAR LETTER
2024 Annual Letter from Bernie Tetreault
by Bernie Tetreault
Co-Founder of The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program
Dear supporters of our scholarship recipients:
Thanks to your support, our 2024 Awards Celebration awarded 38 scholarships to persons whose impressive qualifications and life goals are sources of light, hope and joy. One of the recipients said, “Thank you for your confidence in me. I would have dropped out otherwise, and the money helped a lot too. I’m now within a semester of getting the degree that will change the life of our family.”
Our investment of $55,946 made a significant difference in covering the increasing costs of this year’s scholars, and receiving it with the praise of our board, elected officials and business and community leaders is clearly transforming lives.
We are proud of awarding scholarships to 794 persons during the past 29 years. Today, we are banking on your continued partnership in raising $75,000 for celebrating our 30th Bernie Scholarship Awards Program in 2025. This means we will have invested in excess of $1,000,000 empowering scholars and improving the quality of life throughout the greater community.
Unfortunately, the future appears to be increasingly dark for persons seeking to improve their lives through higher education. This Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, please consider increasing your year-end donation to help our many needy applicants in 2025. We can offer light and hope through tax-free donations. I have been drawing funds from my Traditional IRA, having the withdrawal go to our scholarship Program as a Qualified Charitable Deduction, of which we are one via The Greater Washington Community Foundation. You may want to donate via this route. See elsewhere in this newsletter for other ways of assisting these very deserving scholars.
This newsletter has other pertinent information about our Program, and you can learn more throughout our website. With appreciation for all we have accomplished in the past, and wide-eyed anticipation of what we can do together in the future, I am
Sincerely,
Bernie Tetreault, Co-Founder
THE 2024 SCHOLAR CELEBRATION
Celebration of the Village of Endless Possibilities
by Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe
Board Member of The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program
Dean of the Howard University School of Social Work
It has often been stated that “it takes a village.” While the context is related to rearing productive children, it also applies generally to the importance of mutual support. 2024 is our 29th year of Bernie awards. On Sunday, September 22, we brought together this year’s scholarship recipients to celebrate them with donors, board members and special guests. This was a special opportunity for the key BSAP “village” to join and celebrate the program’s longevity and recognize the newest awardees.
Lynne Harris, BSAP board chair, acknowledged that this gathering was the first in the past four years. She introduced the board members and acknowledged the shared commitment to create opportunities for education and to remove obstacles. Ms. Catherine Leggett, the program emcee, emphasized that education was a critical element to success and that it unlocks endless opportunities. Distinguished members from the Montgomery County Council acknowledged the importance of investing in the potential of individuals in their educational pursuits. They emphasized that the BSAP program is evidence that “we believe in you.”
Bernie Tetreault, co-founder, provided a brief overview of the history of the scholarship program and noted its success and impact by acknowledging that it had provided almost $1 million in scholarship funds to 794 scholars. His historical summary was followed by Mr. Bruce Adams, recipient of the 2024 Community Service Award. Mr. Adams engaged the village with his remarks that encouraged awardees to 1) find your superpower; 2) find your passion and purpose; 3) find mentors; 4) find role models; 5) find partners; and 6) to serve.
The program closed out with recognition and presentation of certificates to scholarship recipients. Their accomplishments and educational goals were acknowledged. Ms. Catherine Leggett closed the recognition ceremony out with again reminding each recipient to follow their dreams and acknowledge the endless possibilities ahead of them.
