The Baldwin-Whitehall Educational Foundation has been an ardent advocate of graduates of Baldwin High School. Since 2019, they have funded over $60,000 in scholarships that enable students to pursue their academic goals. Recently, the foundation turned it’s attention to supporting students who don’t pursue post-secondary education.

Erik Arroyo, President of the Foundation, shares, “About 10% of the senior class annually enters the workforce full-time after high school instead of pursuing a post-secondary education. That's a sizeable population and one that the Foundation has not engaged in any way.” Arroyo approached local business owner Bruce Bobak of Definitely You and suggested that the annual fundraiser BWEF holds at Definitely You be dedicated to a new scholarship to support young people pursuing career directly after high school. “Bruce is a self-employed small business owner whose career journey began shortly after high school and had followed a similar course to entrepreneurial success himself. He saw enormous value in this initiative,” says Arroyo.

The foundation created criteria for the Entering the Workforce Scholarship and prepared for the fundraiser, a weekend sale where 20% of profits fund the new scholarship. The community showed up in force to support the initiative—with the store selling over $1,500 per hour throughout the weekend. The fundraiser raised $4,500 to seed the scholarship—a record for the fundraiser, which has generated a total of $17,000 over 6 years.

The $4,500 will be awarded during senior recognition night in May to a student entering the workforce after graduation. Dr. Randal Lutz, Superintendent of Schools, expressed, “There are many paths to finding success, creating fulfilling work, and contributing to the community. This new scholarship will fuel the dreams of ambitious Baldwin High School students and is not only an investment in their future, it's an investment in our region.”