GEF holds post-pandemic celebration

Martin Del Vecchio

GEF executive director Emily Siegel addresses guests at Bass Rocks Golf Club

TREELY DOWD, Photojournalist
October 17, 2022

The Gloucester Education Foundation (GEF) held an event on Thursday at Bass Rocks Golf Club to celebrate the past three years of fundraising and grants for the Gloucester Public Schools.

The event featured student projects from the Gloucester High School engineering department, as well as student band performances from all grade levels. It also included speeches from GEF Executive Director Emily Siegel, Superintendent Ben Lummis, and Elementary Band Coordinator Jamie Klopotoski. 

Some opportunities the GEF has created for students include reviving the elementary school band program over the pandemic, upgrading the A&V equipment in GHS and O’Maley auditoriums, funding room upgrades for the middle and high school band programs, giving money to the GHS engineering department to fund the Robotics class, donating an electric car to the GHS automotive shop, supplying chemistry lab equipment, and more. 

“It was a fabulous opportunity to showcase not only music but the other GEF-funded program,” said GHS Music Director Cole Lundquist. “Honestly, I don’t think the evening could have gone much better.”

Seniors Elijah Sarrouf (alto saxophone) and AJ Porcello (tenor saxophone) performed “Bye Bye Blackbird” with Cole Lundquist (keyboard), to represent the highest level of the district’s music program. Photocredit: Martin Del Vecchio