Issue 4: February 2018 Newsletter

Our 2017 NASHDO Scholarship for $5,000 is awarded to a 7th grader attending Aquinas Academy in Livingston

Pictured left to right: Mia Aymar-Smith, Treasurer of MAF; John Cohrs, Principal of Aquinas Academy; Mesgana; her mom Helen; and her dad Samson.

This year, fate had a special twist on our journey to identify the recipient of the NASHDO Scholarship. We met her during our "Raise the Grade” Workshop series at the West Orange Public Library. Her family led us to Aquinas Academy, where we knew some students that had been taught by Mr. Aymar at Blessed Pope John Academy in West Orange.  >>Read more

“Planting the Seeds” for Our Workshop Series

We have completed a total of five series of Workshops for middle school students. Four of them have been done in partnership with the West Orange Public Library and, over the fall, we launched them at the Montclair Public Library. The workshops have gained popularity with middle school students and parents because of our approach to sharing “practical life skills” with students so they can adopt them to become truly independent thinkers and learners. We treat them with respect and they respond beautifully. The word is spreading, so we are being contacted by other libraries to share our message with them for their own series. Let Mesgana show you what we mean . . .

It is time to Celebrate again in Montclair!

SAVE THE DATE:  April 22, 2018

Our Annual Fundraising Event is coming up again. We will update you on our progress and how we are “Igniting the Sense of Wonder” in the tradition of Master teachers to unleash the potential in middle school students. The event will be held at the Van Vleck House and Gardens in Montclair again as so many of you gave us terrific feedback on our last event. Our speakers will share our accomplishments and inspire you. There will be great food, wine, art exhibits, and an uplifting message about the power we each have to inspire middle school students and each other. Take a look at the fun we had last year!

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

-William Butler Yeats

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