Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

First Margaret Derwin Blue Sky Scholarship Awarded to Alexa Curtiss of Housatonic Valley High School

June 16, 2011

SHEFFIELD, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation today announced Alexa Curtiss as the first recipient of The Margaret Derwin Blue Sky Scholarship for Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The fund honors Derwin’s memory by annually selecting one student in their junior year at Housatonic Valley Regional High School as the Margaret Derwin Scholar. Alexa will receive support up to $5,000 for a national or overseas summer community service program for July/August 2011 and up to $25,000 for tuition and associated costs of attending the college of her choice anywhere in the United States for 2012/13 and each of the following three years of college.

A group of Northwest Corner residents has pooled resources to make the Margaret Derwin Blue Sky Scholarship available. The donors want to encourage our public high school students to dream big, set aspirations high and take firm steps to achieve what might seem impossible but is achievable with vision, talent and effort. The donors fully believe that it is essential for our students to set their sights high and move toward a cherished goal incrementally and steadily. The Derwin Blue Sky Scholarship will reward those who do.

Said one donor who wishes to remain anonymous, “We are pleased to honor the memory of Margaret through a scholarship that encourages students to aim high. Alexa embodies everything that the scholarship represents. We are excited to see what choices she will make for her future.”

Alexa’s intellectual spark, thirst for knowledge and strength of character were all contributing factors in the award. While achieving honors at Housatonic, she has been involved in numerous activities such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) and the school chorus and has sought out opportunities to help others, volunteering with animals and children at the Little Guild of St. Francis and Housatonic Child Care Center and with the elderly. She has held part-time jobs at Sand Road Animal Hospital, the YMCA and in the admissions department at Hotchkiss. Alexa is interested in pursuing a degree as a Certified Child Life Specialist, allowing her to work with children in a health care setting helping them and their families cope with serious illnesses, medical and surgical procedures, and loss of life.

Alexa received many strong recommendations from her teachers at Housatonic including this from Karen Davenport, Department Head Housatonic Valley Regional Agriscience and Technoogy, “There are certain young people who possess the drive, determination and work ethic to succeed in their ambitions. Whether it is academics, after school activities, community service projects or her work with animals – Alexa Curiss gives her all.”

Peter Vermilyea, chairman of the Social Studies Department said, “It is important for you to understand that Alexa is as concerned about others as she is about her own education. She is a young woman of great empathy.”

About Margaret Derwin
This scholarship is named for Margaret Derwin who graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 2005. Margaret grew up in North Canaan and decided that she wanted to be a social worker. Through her own efforts she learned of a program at Wheelock College in eastern Massachusetts, applied and was accepted. She then proceeded to assemble numerous scholarships and private support for her tuition for all four years. She was a disciplined scholar who loved life and was on the Dean’s List for all her time at Wheelock. After receiving her BA, Margaret decided to go on to graduate school. Wheelock had the program she was interested in and again Margaret succeeded in securing sufficient scholarship monies to pay for her Master’s program. Just before she was to enter the program, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a malignant bone tumor. Margaret fought her illness valiantly with medical support from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston but regrettably died in November 2010.

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY, acting as an agent for positive change in the region. Since 1987, Berkshire Taconic has managed a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. Each year, the foundation distributes over $7 million through grants and scholarships for programs in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goals and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.

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