The Auburn Chamber of Commerce recognized many years ago that investing in our youth was extremely important and started the Auburn School/Business Partnership program.

This program is speared on promoting goodwill and cooperation among the business and educational community. This partnership consists of business leaders and school administrations in Auburn and Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School. They meet throughout the year to discuss goals, needs, and accomplishments made in their schools.

With collaboration from the business and educational community, the Auburn chamber is able to grant scholarships to graduating seniors looking to further their education, and mini-grants to teachers who need funds for an educational project for students in their classroom.

The funding for these scholarships and grants are funded by the Annual School/Business Partnership Golf Tournament the chamber hosts in September. Since 1995, the Auburn chamber has awarded a total of $315,500 in both student scholarships and teacher mini-grants with proceeds from this tournament.

We have two special scholarships that are especially dear to the hearts of the community, our academic Stephen A. Lukas Memorial Scholarship, and our chamber member Major David L. Brodeur Scholarship. Auburn Patrolman Stephen A. Lukas was killed in the line of duty on Jan. 1, 1986, and David L. Brodeur lost his life on April 27, 2011, while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom.

While the world is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, and are adjusting to the new normal of living, whether it be heading back to work, or venturing out to a local restaurant that has recently opened, some things are still continuing, education is still moving forward, babies are being born, and people are looking for jobs. With this in mind, the chamber is happy to say that this year, we are awarding $15,000 in scholarships to eight graduating seniors. “We wish our scholarship award recipients the best of success and good health as they continue their post-secondary education come the fall,” said Carrie Cross-Tiraboschi, chair of the Auburn Chamber School and Business Partnership Committee.

• Anna Pyche — Stephen Lukas Memorial Scholarship

• Nigel Belgrave — Major David L. Brodeur Scholarship

• Haley Norris — Academic Scholarship

• Carly Hayes — Academic Scholarship

• Maura Anish — Academic Scholarship

• Grace Beauregard — Academic Scholarship

• Julia Benvenuti — Academic Scholarship

• Alli Schoenfeldt — Academic Scholarship