Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield announce Doreen Moore Scholarship for the Arts on behalf of MELD advisory committee

STONEHAM | WAKEFIELD: On behalf of the MELD advisory committee, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield is excited to announce the Doreen Moore Scholarship for the Arts, a scholarship in honor of Dorren Moore of Stoneham. 

Doreen Moore is an exceptional woman, wife, mother of five children, and served as the owner and Director of the Leslie Country Day School on High St in Stoneham for fifty years. Her mission in life was to strive to meet the unmet needs of the citizens in the Stoneham community.

Moore spent decades volunteering in Stoneham, serving as the President of the Eastern Middlesex Area Board, overseeing the mental health services in the area, and the Executive Director at Our Place, a drop in day program for chronically mentally ill adults.She was also responsible for securing funding for the Our Place program through multiple state contracts and creating Our Place MELD Center Inc as a private 501(c)3 non profit corporation.

Moore secured private foundations and sufficient funds to purchase Hays House at 38 Pleasant St.Stoneham, to expand and combine ongoing mental Health services with education and  founded Camp Hays, a summer day camp program for developmentally delayed children.

Moore sold Hays House when the state deinstitutionalized state hospitals and terminated the Our Place MELD contracts and negotiated the purchase of the The First Unitarian Church to continue Our Place MELD Programming. She also added AfterHours, an early education activity program for grade school children.

Doreen went on to create and develop ‘Stoneham Creates,’ an art, music and drama program for children, staffed by a variety of artists and  musicians. A year after September 11, 2001, when the funding was exhausted, Doreen orchestrated the sale of the church to The Stoneham Cable Company and invested those funds to create the MELD Foundation to financially support arts programming in the schools, library and Senior Center.

“Doreen is a remarkable woman and was way ahead of her time. She has an uncanny ability to envision the future and determine what people needed in their lives and she delivered. We consider her family, and will always treasure her friendship,” said David and Joni Gardner. 

Now MELD, through Doreen’s guidance, has merged with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield to foster art, music and drama activities for kids and teens at the Club. 

“Doreen accomplished so much in her life as a sole volunteer who unselfishly gave of her time, knowledge, devotion and extensive talents to serve our community. We know her legacy and passion for the arts will continue to live on with the Doreen Moore Scholarship for the Arts,” said Holly Baylies, friend and colleague of Doreen.

The Doreen Moore Scholarship for the Arts, a one-time award of $2300, is open to graduating high school seniors from Stoneham attending an accredited college or university planning to pursue a degree in the arts. 

Applications are due 5/29/2023. The criteria for the scholarship is outlined below, and applicants can apply by completing the form here: https://tinyurl.com/5sunjzje

Doreen Moore Scholarship for the Arts Application Criteria 

  – Applicant must be a graduating high school senior from Stoneham attending an accredited college or university.

– Applicant must plan to pursue a degree in the arts (e.g. visual arts, music, performing arts, creative writing, etc.).

– Scholarship may be based on financial need, academic merit, artistic merit, or a combination of these factors.

– Scholarship will provide a one-time award of $2300.

– Applicant must provide their most recent school transcripts.

– Applicant must submit a portfolio of their work (e.g. artwork, writing samples, recordings, videos, etc.).

– Applicant must write an essay explaining their passion for the arts, their career goals, and how the scholarship will help them achieve their goals. (approximately 500 words)

– Applicant may provide letters of recommendation from teachers, mentors, or other individuals who can attest to their artistic talent and potential

Questions, Contact : [email protected]

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