Yale High School (YHS) is reaping the benefits of a donor designated charitable fund thanks to the generosity of Kent DuPont and the Kent George DuPont Family Heritage Fund created in 2020.

“I have sincere gratefulness for everything the DuPont family is doing. The generous annual grants from their charitable fund have allowed us to engage more students in activities that they are interested in while providing them with the skills they need for their future,” said Brad Dykstra, YHS principal.

When planning the charitable fund that would benefit an area where DuPont family ties are deep, no one imagined the impact that it would have within its first year. The Drama Club came back after an 11-year hiatus, 30 students were able to experience Art Prize, and the book club, marching band and robotics team all received support from the Kent George DuPont Family Heritage Fund. 

Education has always been an important value to the DuPont family and it is a value nurtured in previous generations of their family who were residents of the Yale and Old Brockway areas. Generations of the family have proven experiences that education and horizon-broadening experiences, like those found in extracurricular activities, are keys to a successful life for the whole family.

In the first round of grants distributed to the high school, Art Club was able to request funds to help support a field trip to Art Prize with 30 students attending the world-renowned competition hosted in Grand Rapids. Then Book Club received support for the novels on their reading list and the marching band received a grant to make equipment enhancements.

Perhaps one of the most impactful grants this past year was the support of Drama Club. A $7,000 grant brought Drama Club back to YHS. “We have not had a play here since 2010 and are excited to provide this opportunity for our students and community,” Dykstra shared.

The grant allowed Drama Club to begin again and purchase the necessary equipment and supplies to put on a top-notch program. Given that most of the equipment had been dormant for the last decade, the grant allowed for replacement equipment and/or repairs as well. The first production will be “You Can’t Take It With You” and it will premiere on March 5.

Further impact for the high school students was through the YHS Robotics Team 6344, the Jiggawatts. The team was able to purchase much-needed computers and 3D printers for the upcoming competition year.

Last but not least, the high school’s Audio Visual Club wanted to produce a higher quality program and provide students with the skills and training involved in modern audio/visual studio production. The club produces the YHS Studio News daily program.

The Kent George DuPont Family Heritage Fund has provided Yale High School students with opportunities they would not otherwise have. That’s the power of donors giving back to their hometowns in ways most meaningful to them.

The Community Foundation is proud to help donors like Kent DuPont. Whether it’s a significant lifetime gift or modest annual gifts, even a planned gift through an estate, the donor relations team at the Foundation is ready to help donors make the most impact with their charitable giving.