Lightbridge Foundation Awards

Since 1997, the early education and child care franchise Lightbridge Academy® has been an innovator within its industry due to its Circle of Care philosophy, where everyone who touches a Lightbridge Academy center, including children, parents, teachers, owners and the community, is treated as family. As an extension of this philosophy, Lightbridge Academy’s non-profit organization, the Lightbridge Foundation®, supports the community in a multitude of ways. One of these ways includes a senior scholarship program to support those pursuing degrees in education and shaping the future leaders of tomorrow.

Lightbridge Academy is excited to continue the scholarship program for the seventh year in a row and will award 34 deserving high school seniors with $500 grants toward their education in 2021. The scholarship is available to any senior pursuing a degree in education who attends high school in a Lightbridge Academy community.

Lightbridge Foundations Executive Director Audrey Feci explains the Lightbridge Foundation’s scholarship program is designed to “help support the young adults that will serve as inspiration for the next generation of leaders in their pursuit of education.”

In terms of the application process, the Lightbridge Foundation chooses each student by reviewing how they uphold the brand’s core values, which includes caring for children, creating happy moments, displaying integrity, being honest and respectful and celebrating others. Within the application, each student is asked to submit their academic accomplishments and educational resume, which is then submitted to the high school’s college or guidance counselor.

Feci also notes that supporting the future generation of educators has never been more important than it has been amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “It has been a tough year, and the teachers that are in the classroom every day are heroes and are helping children academically and also navigate emotionally through difficult times,” she said. “We are proud to be able to give back in any way we can by encouraging those who are looking to follow that noble path of education.”

Overall, Feci says the scholarship program is a prime example of how Lightbridge Academy lives its Circle of Care mission and allows franchise owners to give back to the communities they serve.

“Education is core to what we do, and teachers are at the forefront of every child’s success,” Feci said. “A love for education starts at an early age — children always remember that one teacher who made a difference in their life. We want to support those special high school graduates hoping to create those special and ‘a-ha’ moments for their students.”