The Daily Scoop / Annual 2012 / Stiller Foundation Supports Balfour School

Stiller Foundation Supports Balfour School

The Stiller Foundation has announced its support for the Balfour Education Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Established in 2004 to support at-risk students in Henderson County, the mission of the Balfour Education Center is to provide a quality educational experience to those students who have not found success in the traditional classroom setting.

The grant from the Stiller Foundation will be used to provide technology upgrades throughout the school including SMART Boards to facilitate classroom learning.

The Center also provides technical instruction in auto repair and cosmetology to the high school students.

A portion of the grant will also be used to establish a scholarship program for Balfour graduates wishing to attend college.

“On behalf of Henderson County Public Schools and the Balfour Education Center, I would like to extend my gratitude to Ben Stiller and his foundation for this generous donation,” said Kent Parent, Principal at Balfour Education Center.

“With this grant, Balfour students and teachers will begin using 21st Century technology for direct classroom instruction. The Stiller Foundation’s generosity will make a difference in the lives and future of the students at the Balfour Education Center

Balfour currently serves 151 students in grades 6-12 by offering programs including psychological support through a day treatment center, the H.A.T.S. (Helping All Teens Succeed) mentoring program, a youth recovery program for students at risk of dropping out of school, a daycare program for children of teen mothers, and a program to support students newly arrived to the United States.

Based on the idea that all children deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential, actor Ben Stiller founded the Stiller Foundation in 2010 to promote the education and well-being of children worldwide through initiatives that focus on education.

To date, the Stiller Foundation has focused primarily on providing educational opportunities for children in Haiti through the construction of schools. In the wake of the January 2010 earthquake, Ben solidified his commitment to Haiti with the Haitian School Initiative, an effort to aid children affected by the catastrophe.

More information is available at  www.thestillerfoundation.org.