Chester Academy announces fund drive to aid college grants, donation from Players Guild

Chester Academy, a nonprofit corporation that awards scholarships to students from Green Mountain Union High School and Vermont Academy, has announced a fund drive with the goal of offsetting the rising cost of post secondary education as well as a donation from the Chester Players Guild.

The Players Guild, which has formally dissolved, recently donated its account balance of $3,366 to the Chester Academy. The guild, founded in 1991 by John R. Coleman, produced plays that were performed in Chester Town Hall.

Concerning the fund-drive, academy President Thomas Charlton said, “We are seeing increasing costs for four years of college and increasing financial need on the part of our applicants. We’re concerned that some students won’t be able to afford college because of the increases. We’re seeing statements from the colleges that one year will cost as much as $65,000.”

Donors may send gifts to Chester Academy, P.O. Box 512, Chester, VT 05143. Chester Academy is tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c) (3).

As of June 2014, Chester Academy had awarded $795,730 in scholarships. Chester Academy’s giving has increased over the past 20 years. In 2014, the academy gave $25,600 including $7,500 for five new scholarships ranging from $1,250 to $1,800 as well as $18,100 for renewals. According to Charlton, the academy will award six new scholarships this year.

The academy also awards Chester Academy medals and checks for $200 to two outstanding Green Mountain students annually. And since 2012, it has made four grants of $2,500 each to Green Mountain students to fund projects undertaken with the guidance of faculty members, including a Green Mountain School Store, a Visiting Author Series, a hydroponic garden facility and a student news network.

Founded in 1814 the academy was originally a private school. It went out of existence in the late 19th century and was revived by the Vermont legislature in 1915. In 1984, the academy was revitalized when it received a bequest of approximately $250,000 from John G. Butler Jr. a decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean War, who lived in Chester for many years.