The Abbot Academy Association granted $248,000 to fund student and faculty projects this Fall. The selected projects ranged from an all-cluster trip to see the recently released Harry Potter movie to a charity soccer tournament designed to raise awareness on AIDS in Africa. David Othmer, Co-President of the Abbot Academy Association, said, “When we selected the 13 grants, we asked how significantly each project would make an impact on the community. We also looked for proposals that were imaginative, ground-breaking, and unique.” Natalie Schorr, Instructor in French and Abbot Academy Faculty Liaison, said, “The Abbot grants are very meaningful because students and faculty members receive these grants not for themselves but for the larger community.” Christopher Batchelder ’11, Jakob Rohwer ’11 and Mark Hanson ’11 proposed holding an AIDS awareness soccer tournament once every term. Entrance fee from the tournaments will be donated to Grassroot Soccer, a program that works to raise HIV/AIDS awareness in Africa through soccer. In addition to raising HIV/AIDS awareness, Batchelder, Rohwer and Hanson hope to increase communication between middle school students from Lawrence and Phillips Academy students. Each team in the soccer tournaments will consist of students from both Phillips Academy and Lawrence. Batchelder said soccer, a “universal language,” will let PA students and Lawrence students work together to promote HIV/AIDS awareness. The majority of the funds from the grant will go towards purchasing equipment including soccer goals, uniforms, soccer balls and trophies for the kids. The Abbot grants will also help purchase new film equipment for students interested in
