Press Release: Portsmouth Abbey School and Orion Military Scholarships redouble efforts to help military children
Portsmouth, R.I. — Portsmouth Abbey School, a Benedictine boarding school on 525 scenic wooded acres on the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, has partnered with Orion Military Scholarship Fund, Inc., to offer military children the opportunity to experience four years of uninterrupted education. Through a combination of merit-based scholarship funding and need-based financial aid, Orion and its twelve partner boarding schools across the United States, join forces to provide stable high school experiences to children of active duty service men and women.
Military children change schools three times more than civilian peers, often enrolling in nine schools before graduation. Frequent moves and inconsistency between academic programs take a toll on military children, whose unpredictable, mobile lifestyles puts them at significantly greater risk for anxiety, depression, and self-harm during adolescence. Multiple moves also affect military teenagers’ ability to transfer academic credits and progress in sports and extracurricular activities.
Orion Military Scholarship Fund was founded in 2019 to address military children’s need for stable educational opportunities. Portsmouth Abbey School originally joined Orion’s consortium of member schools during its first programming year, but when there was a turnover in leadership roles in 2021, the Abbey’s Orion membership inadvertently lapsed. Recently, Orion and Portsmouth Abbey reconnected, redoubling their efforts to support military families.
Eric Peterson, cofounder and President of Orion commented, "Orion is thrilled to once again be partnering with Portsmouth Abbey, one of our founding schools. The Abbey's combination of its Catholic mission, warm and connected community and exciting program opportunities fills a unique niche among our member schools and will be welcomed by military families. We look forward to working together on behalf of those students whose parents are committed to serving the Nation in our Armed Forces."
Portsmouth Abbey School is unique among top US boarding schools due to its Catholic roots. The campus features architecturally eclectic structures that seem to blend with the sylvan scenery — an intentional design reflecting Benedictine philosophy of environmental responsibility. The campus’ diverse attractions include an 8,000 square foot modern Student Center; a Victorian style Admissions Building complete with porches and Adirondack chairs; the glassy Healey Squash & Fitness Center; a chilly hockey rink and turf athletic fields; and the Church of St. Gregory the Great, with its fieldstone walls, redwood interior, and stunning stained glass panels. The church is considered “the most important piece of conservative modernist architecture in Rhode Island.”
Head of School, Matthew Walter, stated, “We are delighted to partner with Orion once again to welcome military families to Portsmouth Abbey School. Our Mission to help young men and women grow in knowledge and grace while nurturing reverence for God and the human person, a love of learning, and a commitment to community life resonates with many families as they answer their call to serve while balancing family and educational needs. We look forward to meeting our newest Ravens in the coming months.”
Orion’s fourth application season is currently underway. Eligible military students can apply online before the December 1, 2023 deadline at https://www.orionmilitary.org/how-to-apply.
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About Orion: Orion Military Scholarship Fund, Inc. is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) tax-deductible public charity, dedicated to providing scholarships for children of active duty military parents to attend select boarding schools for continuous, stable high school experiences. Orion’s current application season for scholarships for Fall 2024 enrollment in boarding schools ends December 1, 2023. Eligible military children can apply at https://www.orionmilitary.org/how-to-apply.
About Portsmouth Abbey School: Founded in 1926, Portsmouth Abbey School is the best Catholic boarding school in North America, where students are exposed to challenging academics rich in mathematics and science and built upon a signature humanities program. Young men and women participate on 45 athletic teams from sailing to hockey, with opportunities to study theater, music and art, all on 525 acres on the shores of Narragansett Bay. To learn more visit www.portsmouthabbey.org.