GREENE COUNTY
The Thillen Education Foundation (TEF) raised $300,000 on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, more than doubling its $140,000 goal to replenish the financial assistance awarded to the latest graduated class of students in the career coaching program at Greene College & Career Academy (GCCA) inside Greene County High School.
The foundation said this achievement sets the stage for future classes to benefit greatly from increased financial assistance.
TEF financial assistance is unique in four ways: all students in the career coaching program participate, equaling more than 600 during the program’s first six years; students earn “Dave Dollars” during their four years of high school; students do not have to go to college, though many do, and; the timing allows “Dave Dollars” to be cashed into real dollars for up to two years post-graduation or up to six years if entering military service.
An additional opportunity for GCCA students to be awarded financial assistance is by applying for “Next Step Funds” during senior years resulting in scholarships or career start packages.
In the most recent graduated class this May, 24 students were awarded $80,000 on top of the overall class of 86 students earning almost $60,000 in “Dave Dollars.” All financial assistance can be used for furthering education or for professional supplies needed to begin a career.
On Giving Tuesday, several interesting stories developed, but the most unusual involved one of TEF’s freshman career coaches who had a 529 fund (college fund) set up for her granddaughter, who decided she wasn't going to use the fund. So, the career coach decided to close the account and donate the proceeds (more than $25,000) to help other GCCA students.
The overall plan for Giving Tuesday was to obtain pledges of $70,000 so matching funds could be offered to raise the second half of the $140,000 goal. By the time Giving Tuesday arrived, pledges to be matched reached $100,000, and by the end of Tuesday night, 94 supporters combined pledges and donations totaling $300,000, including matching funds to more than double the goal.
Total donations for the three years of the foundation’s existence are now approximately $1.75 million, causing founder Dave Thillen to comment, “Continued growth through donations and grants may position us over time to change the paradigm toward my dream of every graduate of the career coaching program having their expenses covered for up to two years of continued education or career start.”
Career coaches are the heartbeat of the TEF career coaching program as they commit to four years of coaching three or four students each.
“Making lasting change for the better in Greene County is a lofty goal but … involving 600 students so far (adding 100 each year) 180 career coaches so far (adding 30 each year) and $1.75 million so far (adding $.25M each year) … real progress can be made,” Thillen stated. “It will take time, but I believe there is no better way to spend that time than changing the trajectory of hundreds of young lives in our community.”