Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Change a Child’s Life in Staunton
Sponsor life-changing early childhood education for those who need it most, right here in Staunton.
Starting in 2026, the Terry LeMasurier Scholarship Fund is administered by the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.
Funds are collected by the Community Foundation and distributed to the school as tuition payments for awarded scholarships, ensuring 100% of public donations are used to offset tuition costs.
The Community Foundation administers the application and awards process to provide an objective, confidential, and independent review of each family's financial need.
Your Investment’s Impact
High-Quality Early-Childhood Education is Life-Changing
Children who receive high-quality early childhood education do better in science, technology, engineering, and math through high school, and that link is stronger among children from low-income backgrounds, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Montessori is a Powerful Engine for Social Equity
While traditional systems often struggle with income-based achievement gaps, a University of Virginia study found that high-quality Montessori programs effectively equalize outcomes, enabling lower-income children to perform as well academically as their high-income peers. You can read the full study in Frontiers in Psychology.
High-Quality Early-Childhood Education Benefits the Entire Community
Research led by Nobel Laureate James Heckman demonstrates that comprehensive early childhood education delivers a significant return on investment to the community by increasing lifetime educational achievement, adult earnings, and health outcomes. High-quality early childhood education also narrows achievement gaps in reading and math by as much as 60% for children from less-advantaged backgrounds. Learn more at The Heckman Equation.
Terry LeMasurier
The Terry LeMasurier Scholarship Fund was established in 2013 to honor a devoted Trustee who lived a life of boundless curiosity and impassioned advocacy for independence and interconnectedness. Before settling in Staunton, Terry spent eight years hitchhiking across five continents, cultivating an appreciation for experiential learning and global awareness.
In 1984, Terry and Ginger LeMasurier opened their business, The Virginia Made Shop. Now a beloved Staunton landmark, their shop features local artisans, honey producers, peanut growers, and gift makers, reflecting Terry’s progressive advocacy for supporting the local community.
As a leader at Staunton Montessori School, Terry championed an education that stimulates creativity, critical thinking, and community care. Terry passed away in February 2020, but his legacy lives on in the many lives touched by his generosity and devotion to experiential knowledge and independent thought. Your gift to this fund honors his memory by opening doors for local children to explore boldly, think independently, and reach their full potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes, both the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge and Staunton Montessori School are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. You will receive a tax receipt directly from the Community Foundation.
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Tuition costs vary depending on the program (half-day primary, extended day primary, lower or upper elementary). Find our current tuition schedule here.
Every dollar makes a difference. Gifts are pooled together to maximize the impact among the applicants. Scholarship amounts vary depending on the family’s calculated financial need.
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Montessori education is based on a three-year cycle, where children stay in the same multi-age classroom community with the same guide for three years. Accordingly, scholarships are multi-year awards coinciding with the three-year cycle (Primary 3-6, Lower Elementary 7-9, Upper Elementary 10-12). As long as the student remains financially eligible, they will receive similar assistance through the entire cycle.
To ensure the process is equitable, confidential, and unbiased, families apply through the Community Foundation. Awards are determined through an objective financial need assessment. Once a scholarship is granted, the Community Foundation sends the funds directly to Staunton Montessori School as a tuition credit on behalf of the student, maintaining the family's privacy within the school community.