Students
A Legacy of Learning: The Liz LeBaron Memorial Scholarship
Years ago, educator Liz LeBaron led a group of students on a bicycle trip to Walden Pond, where they explored the natural surroundings and wrote poetry inspired by what they experienced. The project brought reading and writing beyond the classroom and into the world around them. It became such a meaningful part of her teaching…
Read MoreA New Chapter for Read! Learn! Succeed!
For a young child, receiving a book of their own can be a small but meaningful moment. It is a story they can carry home, share with someone they love, and return to again and again. Over time, those moments can help a child begin to see reading not simply as something they do in…
Read MoreFrom Student to Intern: A Full-Circle Journey
As a local student growing up in Hawley and attending Mohawk Trail, Emily Sisum took part in field trips and classroom activities that helped shape her education. What she did not know at the time was that the Mary Lyon Foundation had helped make many of those experiences possible. Emily’s first visible connection to MLF…
Read MoreFall Newsletter: Liza Manchester, Program Director
Late in July, I joined the staff at the Mary Lyon Foundation. The team had just moved into a new office space at Mohawk Trail Regional School the week before, yet they were ready to welcome me with open arms — and put me to work right away! During my first week, I had the…
Read MoreFall Newsletter: Sarah Burrell, Development Associate
Summer at the Mary Lyon Foundation has been anything but sleepy! While students enjoyed their break and teachers recharged their batteries, we seized the moment to play musical chairs with our office space. In true small-but-mighty team fashion, we packed up our entire operation and migrated to a bigger, and more well suited classroom space…
Read MoreLetter from The Chief Executive Officer: Summer 2025
I am thrilled to announce that we have met our $5,000,000 campaign goal! When I arrived at the Foundation in January of 2021, school was remote, and we were still wearing masks. Just like the seasons, so much has changed in the last four and a half years. Our programs have grown, we’ve helped more…
Read MoreFrom Ashfield to Law School, Emaline Drury is Making Her Mark
Emaline Drury is not your average high school senior. Driven by a deep passion for justice and community service, this Ashfield resident is already paving the way for a bright future. With big dreams of attending law school, Emaline is the proud recipient of the prestigious Edwin C. Demara Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship, awarded by…
Read MoreA Gift of Hope and Healing Through the Guardian Angel Fund
In the heart of Shelburne Falls, a fund carries the memory of a beautiful soul, Anna Marie Townsend. The Guardian Angel Fund, established in her remembrance and now facilitated through the Mary Lyon Foundation, has become a lifeline for local families facing unimaginable hardships. What began as a community’s effort to honor the life of…
Read MoreHonoring Heritage, Shaping the Future: The Korpitas’ Commitment to Community
Dylan and Kristyn Korpita have established The Union 38 (FRS) and Mohawk Trail (MTRS) Family Fund with the Mary Lyon Foundation, aligning with the non-profits’ mission to support children and families in the Pioneer Valley. Both of their families have strong ties to Franklin County, and they have always felt a deep commitment to investing…
Read MoreA Safe and Innovative Learning Environment
When Amber Tulloch traded in her title of teacher for principal in 2021, it was supposed to be temporary, covering for the principal of Hawlemont Regional Elementary School’s (HRES) during her maternity leave. Principal Tulloch soon went from acting to interim, and ultimately to permanent principal when the job opened up later that year. Stepping…
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