Education Foundation

The Questar III Education Foundation was established in 2001 to receive private donations to benefit Questar III and its students. It is governed by a seven-member board composed of Questar III board members and officers and employees (some of the employees must live in the Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties). Expenditures are made in accordance with the Foundation’s purposes and are approved by the Foundation board. Funds that are currently held are primarily used for scholarships.

The Foundation’s cash balance currently consists of 8 sub-funds that reflect the purposes of donations made to the Foundation for accounting purposes. Some gifts made to the Foundation are dedicated by the donor to be used for specific purposes (for example, Tech Valley summer camp). Donations that are not dedicated for a specific purpose will be placed in the “Other” sub-fund.

The Questar III Educational Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation.  Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.

Nadine Gazzola, Foundation Board President
Questar III BOCES Board President

Dr. Gladys I. Cruz
Questar III BOCES District Superintendent

Harry Hadjioannou
Questar III BOCES Deputy Superintendent

Anthony DeFazio

Danny Ramirez

Mark Nizer

Beth St. Clair Bedell

 

For additional information please contact – Lynn MacDonald, Treasurer
518-479-6813 | LMacDonald@Questar.org

 

Funds within the Education Foundation:

  • Grunberg Bequest – These funds consist of a bequest received in 2001 in the amount $82,771.  In accordance with the bequest, these funds are used for student college scholarships at the Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson.  Award recipients are determined by the Donald R. Kline Technical School.
  • Tech Valley Summer Camp – These funds consist of Questar III employee payroll deductions. The funds are designated to cover costs associated with the Tech Valley summer camp run by Questar III. Such expenses consist of transportation and rental of facilities.
  • James N. Baldwin Tech Valley High School Scholarship – These funds consist of private donations received from 2010 to 2017. The funds are designated to award an iPad to 1-2 Tech Valley High School students each year. Award recipients are determined by the Tech Valley High School.
  • Other –These funds consist of smaller, private contributions and fundraising efforts such as proceeds from the annual picnic raffles and the 2019 Gala. The funds are designated to the mini-grant program for students in need of program-related items and for the purpose of student enrichment within the classroom. Award recipients are determined via the mini-grant program.
  • Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PRHYLI) – These funds consist of an annual donation made in memory of Yesenia Valle by her family. The funds are designated to award an annual scholarship to 1-2 PRHLYI students. Award recipients are determined by PRYHLI.
  • New Visions Scientific Research and World Health’s Rensselaer Chapter Brain Bee – These funds consist of an annual donation made by Martin, Harding, and Mazotti. The funds are designated to the winner of the Rensselaer Chapter Brain Bee competition. Award recipients are determined by the results of the competition.
  • Odyssey of the Mind – These funds consist of monies raised at the annual Odyssey of the Mind event each spring. The funds are designated to fund certain expenses of attending the event and to award winners of the Annual Questar III High School Invitational Art Show. Annually, a piece of artwork is also purchased from one of the student artists. Award recipients are determined by a guest juror who is selected by the Questar III School Library System Department.
  • Angie Hall – These funds are from a series of private donations received in fiscal year 2014-15.  In accordance with the donor directions, these funds are designated for scholarships at the Robert H. Gibson Technical School in Troy  Award recipients are determined by the Robert H. Gibson Technical School.
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Research Project –These funds consist of monies received from local businesses and organizations to fund the STEM Research Institute that Questar III offers to our component school districts. The funds are designated to cover the cost of teacher stipends for the program.

Note that both Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers engage in annual fundraising events to support student scholarships. Money raised from these efforts do not go into the Education Foundation funds. They go into Extra-classroom activities funds where a donation is made to scholarship funds held in Trust by Questar III. Each center has criteria for awarding such scholarships.

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