Daniel J. Briggs Fund for Integrity Supports a Host of Anti-Bullying Initiatives
WATERTOWN — Three Jefferson County schools will share $2,000 in grant funding from the Daniel J. Briggs Fund for Integrity of the Northern New York Community Foundation to build respect and leadership, help prevent bullying, and promote positive student behavior.
The charitable fund was established at the Community Foundation in 2015 to help provide resources for key educational programs that focus on bullying prevention and character education in local schools and communities. The fund also supports professional development initiatives to educate school administrators, teachers, faculty, and staff of school districts in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Programs may focus on, but are not limited to, leadership, student responsibility, respect, and trust for the community.
Daniel J. Briggs was a student at Thousand Islands High School when he passed away unexpectedly in March 2014 just two months before his 17th birthday. Since Daniel’s passing, his family has worked to foster change in local schools and help combat bullying among youths.
A committee comprised of Daniel Briggs’ family members, school leaders and local citizens recently recommended the following grants:
- Alexandria Central School District, $1,000 to help bring speaker Rich John to the school to present his program “Act with Respect Always” to students in grades three through seven. Mr. John is a retired Saratoga Springs School District teacher with 38 years elementary and middle school classroom experience. His presentation aims to build respect and leadership, teach positive and constructive behavior, and help stop bullying before it starts.
- Watertown City School District’s North Elementary School, $600 to support teachers and faculty distribute “STAR” cards to promote positive behavior. Students earn a STAR card by following school and classroom rules. When a student’s STAR card is filled, he or she earns a reward. Grant funding will support purchase of additional student awards and help with costs associated with a year-end gathering.
- Watertown City School District’s Starbuck Elementary School, $400 to help a school counselor establish a reference library of character education books for teachers to read in their classes. Book themes focus on empathy, kindness and inclusion, diversity and differences, and anti-bullying. Approximately 30 books will be purchased, and the initiative will complement the school’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program and “Positivity Project.”
“We are honored to award these grants in Daniel’s memory to school programs that take proactive approaches and promote positive behavior in a variety of ways, Daniel’s mother, Amy Briggs, said. “It is incredibly vital that we educate our youth about the importance of being kind to one another and to appreciate our differences. Through the programs supported by the Daniel Briggs Fund for Integrity, our son’s legacy will be one of change.”
Since 2018, eight grants totaling nearly $5,000 have been awarded to school-based programs designed to create campus-wide awareness campaigns, build student confidence and engagement, and increase student experiences in music.
“It is inspiring to see area schools educate and empower their students on the importance of demonstrating good character,” said Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director. “Daniel’s fund will continue to be a catalyst for these meaningful activities and help celebrate the growth of local students on campus and in the community.”
Applications for 2024 funding through the Daniel J. Briggs Fund for Integrity will open in September with proposals due Friday, October 20. Up to $1,000 will be made available. Grant awards will be determined in December and, in most cases, announced in early January. Contact Max DelSignore, Community Foundation assistant director, max@nnycf.org, or 315-782-7110, to learn more about this grant opportunity.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.