A generous gift from the Marion and John E. Anderson Family Foundation (along with local subsidiaries Bellows International, West Indies Company, Dorchester Insurance Company, TOPA Insurance Services, TOPA Properties and Leeward Islands Management Company to the endowment for scholarships) will help ensure Antilles School’s longstanding commitment to student socio-economic diversity for years to come, according to Head of School Liz Morrison.
The funds were awarded Thursday during a special ceremony on campus and presented to the school by Antilles alumnus and TOPA Equities VI President Richard Berry, TOPA Properties President Steve Morton, Dorchester Company President Theresa Fabala and Leeward Islands Vice President JP Montegut. These endowed funds will enable the school to have Anderson scholarships now and for future generations.
The gift of an education is one assurance for the future, and children need to be well-equipped with problem-solving and critical thinking skills for the world they inherit.
“Antilles School has been an amazing institution in St. Thomas for over 50 years and has provided a world class education for so many individuals from a cross section of our community. This endowment will allow and make certain that the school continues to offer financial aid not only in the short term but for generations to come,” Berry said.
Following a meeting Thursday with Foundation representatives, Morrison said, “The Foundation is playing a transformative role in educational access and community development on the island, and Antilles is grateful to be part of that. This gift generously enables us to continue with our commitment to having a robust financial aid budget, even in the face of difficult economic times, and we are grateful to the Anderson family for supporting this mission.”
The Marion and John E. Anderson Foundation is a philanthropic organization through which the Anderson Family supports educational, healthcare, and other community-based organizations including UCLA, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and many other organizations. The Anderson Grants in the U.S. Virgin Islands have supported teachers and their students for two decades.
