Lightbridge Foundation

Lightbridge Academy was founded in 1997, eventually becoming a leading early education and child care franchise with 35 locations across the Mid-Atlantic. Although each location is focused on educating young minds, Lightbridge Academy is also involved in its local communities. It’s Circle of Care Philosophy means that everyone who touches a Lightbridge Academy, including children, parents, teachers, owners, and the community, deserves to be cared for.

With a goal to promote the education field and to help shape the minds of tomorrow’s educators, Lightbridge Academy’s non-profit, the Lightbridge Foundation, developed a Senior Scholarship in 2014 to award to deserving high school seniors.

Lightbridge Foundation Executive Director Dina Duffy explains that the foundation doesn’t just focus on providing help to its student’s families, but it looks to lend a hand to anyone in need within its Circle of Care, and in this case to “pay it forward to the next generation.” The scholarship is a $500 grant that is available to students attending high school in a Lightbridge Academy community. “For example, students attending Cranford High School, will be applying for the Cranford Lightbridge Academy’s Senior Scholarship,” Duffy said.

The Lightbridge Foundation chooses each student by reviewing how they uphold the brand’s core values. Within the application, each student is asked to answer a series of questions which are then submitted to the high school’s college or guidance counselor. The brand has given out 20 scholarships in 2018 and distributes the grants during senior award ceremonies.

Taylor Zolnoski is one of the winners of the Senior Scholarship, a high school senior graduating from Cranford High School. She, much like many of the other winners, heard about the scholarship opportunity from a college-career center at her school.

““The scholarship from the Lightbridge Foundation will help me purchase books and other materials needed for freshman year. I'm really thankful for the foundation and having the opportunity to receive these funds,” Zolnoski said.

She will be attending the University of Southern Florida this fall, and she will be studying elementary education.

“The foundation is a way to connect and support others in the community. There are many bumps along life’s journey, but the Lightbridge Foundation aims to help those in need,” Duffy said.

The foundation’s money is raised throughout the year through special events and local franchise location initiatives. For example, the Lightbridge Academy centers recently held a “Foundation Field Day,” which allowed parents to sponsor children as they competed in games and races.

Now, at the close of the Senior Scholarship award period for 2018, the Lightbridge Foundation has given 71 scholarships worth a total of $48,000 to high school seniors since the program’s inception.