Los Olivos boarding school seeks funding for fifth Ukrainian student scholarship
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. – A private boarding school in Los Olivos launched an emergency Ukraine Student Scholarship Fund in March to help bring in students who were displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and is now seeking additional funding to bring a fifth Ukrainian student to the school.
Dunn School is a boarding school nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley that serves students in sixth through 12th grade. The initial goal of the scholarship fund was to raise $240,000 that would cover three full international scholarships for Ukrainian students to attend Dunn School in the fall, and now the school is seeking an additional $70,000 to bring in a fifth student.
"It became so clear in the initial hours of our emergency scholarship program’s infancy how eager the Central Coast community was to support these children whose complete lives were turned upside down at such a crucial time in their educational lives,” Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven said.
“Our goal quickly blossomed from supporting our current student into finding the answer to another question: ‘How many kids could we bring here to study in our uniquely safe, and supportive environment?’”
The school was able to secure funding for its first Ukrainian student and three additional students as well.
One of the Ukrainian students who received a scholarship is already on campus, and a pair of brothers are admitted to begin school in the fall, said Joshua Scroggin, spokesman for Dunn School.
A fifth Ukrainian student is seeking funding to join the others in the fall, Scroggin said.
“This child in need is a straight-A student,” Balaven said.
“She speaks three languages and is learning two more. She has a passion for acting and loves performing music. She’s already given her own money and clothing as humanitarian aid to her home country. She wants to return there but knows that she’ll make the biggest impact if she can do so with the highest quality education. Help us provide that for her.”
The $70,000 that Dunn School is seeking will cover a full academic year, including tuition, room and board, incidentals such as school supplies, living expenses, and homestay support during breaks.
Scroggin said that 100% of the dollars raised will go directly to the education of Ukrainian students.
Click here to donate online, or call Dunn's office of philanthropy at 805-686-0627 to donate offline.
