The event will be held on April 13 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.
This April, Longmeadow High School teacher and coach James Flaherty will be attending the Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover Foundation Scholarship Gala, along with 20 of his students.
The event, which this year has drawn a number of applicants from outside New England, is held in memory of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, a student at the former New Leadership Charter School, who committed suicide after suffering repeated bullying at the Springfield school. This year will be held in celebration of what would have been Carl’s 17th birthday.
“As a coach, it’s wonderful to see our kids and our boosters turn out for a worthy cause, like anti-bullying. I’ve been e-mailing our staff at the high school about the gala, and based on the interest so far, we should have a good group of faculty there. I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.
Over the summer, Flaherty was asked by founder Gwynnetta Sneed to serve on the foundation's executive committee. Seeing it as a chance to help make a difference, he accepted.
“If we can prevent another Phoebe Prince or Carl Walker from happening, it’s all worth it,” he said, referencing the 15-year-old student at South Hadley High, who, in 2010, took her life after being bullied by classmates.
“Carl’s story really hit home with me. He was only 11 when the tragedy happened and I had two boys of my own who were a little younger. It struck me that Carl could have been anyone’s kid, even mine.”
Two years ago, Flaherty, and his fellow cross-country coach, Diane Taslitt, rallied their teams for the foundation’s fall fund-raiser in Forest Park, the Anti-Bullying 5K Race/2KWalk, which draws participation from a number of area schools.
Flaherty and his students continue to run and to raise money for the foundation, with an annual bake sale, raising nearly $2,000 this fall and determined to top that mark next year.
“Yes, $2,000 from a bake sale! Many people passing by saw it was for the Carl Walker fund and just gave us a $10, or a $20 donation, including one of our Booster Club parents who came by and wrote a check for $200. The Longmeadow community was very generous,” he said.
One of the things Flaherty loves most about coaching cross-country is that it is open to everyone.
“Whether you run a 5-minute mile or a 10-minute mile, if you show up everyday with dedication, commitment, and a positive attitude, you’re on the squad. There is no bench. Everyone runs every race,” said Flaherty who took over the team in 2007.
Flaherty shared that his team’s efforts have helped bring awareness of bullying to the student body and has turned into pro-active efforts supported by school administrators, teachers, staff, and student groups like Peer Leaders, Unmask LHS and the Unity Club.
“I’m really proud of the commitment our kids have made to the Carl Walker Foundation. At the road race this year, when our captains took the stage and presented a large check, you got the sense that the kids knew they were making a difference,” said Flaherty. “When they had that personal connection of being on that stage with Sirdeaner (Walker), Carl’s mom, it stayed with them, and they now have a more active and meaningful peer influence on the issue of bullying.”
The 4th Annual Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover Foundation Anti-Bullying Scholarship Gala will be held on April 13, from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at The Log Cabin in Holyoke. Dave Madsen, anchor of abc40/Fox 6, will host this year’s event that features music by Andrew Cade and a buffet dinner.
Advance tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for students. Tickets at the door will be $45 for adults and $25 for students. For ticket information, visit carljoseph.org
Students interviewed for this year's scholarships came from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Tennessee, Illinois, and North Carolina. Applications were received from Texas, Nebraska, Florida, Missouri and Ohio. Some 22 students were interviewed, based on submitted essays and academic information, with a minimum of $17,000 to be award.
“Essays described the applicants and their bouts with bullies or how they helped a sibling or friend cope with being bullied,” Sneed said of the process.
“One of our applicants, from Harlem High School in Roscoe, Illinois, created a bullying and cyberbullying program for local elementary schools. She has worked with local principals and teachers and has spoken with some 800 students within the past two years.”
To date, $44,500 has been awarded to 42 high school graduating seniors from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Included in the total is a $1,000 honorable contribution to the UConn Foundation Sandy Hook School Memorial Fund.
“The long range plan for the foundation is to raise enough funds, so we can help more students across the country. I want the foundation to become a part of the nationwide 200 Free Scholarship List created by Black Excel,” Sneed said “This list includes the likes of the McDonald's Scholarship, The National Merit Scholars, FASFA and Gates Millennium Scholarship. Next year, we will celebrate our 5th anniversary and I am hoping that we can secure a corporate partner to help us reach our goal.”
The foundation was established in 2010, with the support of Sirdeaner Walker, to bring awareness to the extreme measures that some children will take as a result of bullying, and to honor the legacy of Carl, who loved to read and who had wanted to attend college.
“With the support of the board members, they have been instrumental in helping me turn a dream and vision of organizing an anti-bullying scholarship foundation into reality,” said Sneed.
For more information about the Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover Foundation, visit www.carljoseph.org