SavingTeens Creates Thomas E. Bratter Scholarship Fund

Saving Teens in Crisis Collaborative (SavingTeens) has established the Thomas E. Bratter Scholarship Fund, a new fund initially financed by a donation of more than $450,000 from a not-for-profit company formed by friends, family and alumni of the John Dewey Academy. The Bratter Scholarships, administered by SavingTeens, will focus on supporting bright but troubled teens attending college preparatory therapeutic boarding schools with a strong emphasis on quality academics and a track record of sending their typical graduates to quality four year colleges.

Funding included a gift of $30,000 donated in memory of Gabrielle Van Kennen Meerbergen and Wesley Alexander MacCready, two beloved Honors graduates of the Academy. The remainder of the funds were donated in recognition of the late Thomas E. Bratter and in support of his vision of helping bright but troubled teens use their potential to build a life of integrity and achievement.

SavingTeens, founded in 2004, has assisted troubled teens and their families struggling with substance abuse and other emotional issues. SavingTeens collaborates with pro-bono educational consultants, therapeutic schools and programs, and has enabled dozens of families to access therapeutic schools and programs they could not otherwise afford.

"The establishment of the Bratter Scholarship Fund significantly expands the impact of SavingTeens, providing extensive support specifically for access to college preparatory therapeutic boarding schools," explained John Reuben, Founder and President of SavingTeens. "At the same time, it remains consistent with our broader mission of providing assistance to families with struggling adolescents who would not otherwise be able to afford the appropriate intervention or school."

In addition to establishing the Bratter Scholarship Fund, SavingTeens announced that two new board members affiliated with the donor have joined the SavingTeens Board of Directors. Lisa Sinsheimer, MD, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and Pavan Surapaneni, an attorney, will contribute both professional expertise and personal experience to the SavingTeens Board. "We are thrilled to have Lisa and Pavan bring their talent and dedication to our Board of Directors," commented John Reuben.

SavingTeens is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization to which contributions are fully deductible under IRS regulations.