On Thursday June 9th, the Courageous Steps Project founder Connor Archer, who is also a graduating senior at Old Town High School. Last year, Connor gave out three $300.00 scholarships. This year, the Courageous Steps Project gave out two $500.00 scholarships to two well deserving seniors in Archer's his own class. 

Archer last night announced Aimee Georgia and Hadley Moore as this year's scholarship recipients. Each of them as mentioned above, received $500.00. Both students have or are continuing to learn to live with their challenges, and are embracing them for who they are, according to Archer. "It felt great to give two scholarships to two great candidates."

For the long term, the scholarship fund will expand into different communities in the Eastern Maine region, including Orono High School, and a Eastern Maine region wide scholarship fund. "This is an important step in helping other children with challenges in the region, but also expanding the Courageous Steps Project". 

If you would like to donate to the project to support endeavors like this one, please send your donation to P.O. Box 1, Stillwater, ME 04489. If you are sending a check, please make the check out to: The Courageous Steps Project, with Scholarship Fund written in the memo. 

Of course, if you have any questions, please contact Connor Archer at: [email protected]. 

The Courageous Steps Project for the past three years has donate over $5,000 to the Green House Nursery School for their crucial program that benefited founder Connor Archer's life.

This year was no exception, as Connor visited the students and staff at the Green House Nursery School to present a check of $2,000 to the school. In the past 3 years, the project has donated over $7,000 to the Green House Nursery School. 

The Courageous Steps Project has purchased iPads for the Green House, a bluetooth speaker system for the Green House, and a projector for the Green House. Kindle Fire's were also supported through generous donations of local organizations. This was all part of the Green House Nursery School Technology Expansion Project, which will be continuing this summer. 

Sensory learning gardens have also been established at the Green House, giving the students an opportunity to learn about plants, and the importance that plants have in our environment. These gardens will be maintained once again by the Courageous Steps Project. 

"It's important for me to give back to an organization that gave me my start", said founder Connor Archer, a graduating senior of Old Town High School. "If it wasn't for the staff at the Green House, I would not be able to do Courageous Steps" added Archer. 

As the Courageous Steps Project continues to grow, it has been a priority for founder Connor Archer to think of ways to support other organizations in our community that truly deserve the assistance. "One day, I was thinking of a way to support more organizations in our community. That's when I thought of establishing a charitable giving fund" said founder Connor Archer. 

The Charitable Giving fund is aiming to branch out of the Eastern Maine region in the future to support other programs like said above, but it's also to help the project gain connections to other organizations for future marketing purposes. "This is a multi-purpose plan to help the project move in a positive direction" said Archer. "I believe that with the fund, the project will see a rapid growth in participation of all fundraising events, and projects, because people from organizations want to see their organization receive the grant. 

Archer has mentioned that funding will be limited this year, so one to three grants will be awarded with three being a stretch according to the founder. "The project will continue to find ways to grow the charitable giving fund, but this is a long-term plan, so it will take a few years to get the fund established to the point where we can give out several grants. 

This year's application is on our newly created Charitable Giving section of our website. The deadline for this year's application is Thursday September 1st, 2016 at 11:59pm. All applications must be mailed to The Courageous Steps Project, P.O. Box 1, Stillwater, ME 04489. 

If you have any questions about the Charitable Giving fund, please contact Connor Archer at: [email protected]. 

Yesterday, the Lewis Libby School kicked off the new donation giving season for the Courageous Steps Project.

Today, the Orono High School Unified Basketball team was another program benefited from the Courageous Steps Project's 3rd annual walk-run event, which well surpassed last year's goal. Archer won't announce the total until the end of next week. 

The donation of $200.00 will go to their program, helping students who have significant challenges, learn to get along with those who may not have those significant challenges. 

"I wanted to start giving to these programs, because of the valuable experience that students gain from being on a team", said founder Connor Archer. 

Here to accept today's check is Jen Plourde, the Orono High School Unified Basketball coach, and several students from the actual team. "My hope is to continue giving to these programs in the long run" added Archer. 

On Thursday June 2nd, founder Connor Archer visited the Dr. Lewis Libby School in Milford, to give a check of $500 to their special education program.

For the founder, it is nice to be able to give to another new organization. "Every year, it's my goal to give to at least one new organization. This year it's great to have three new organizations to give to", said founder Connor Archer. 

Archer will be visiting other programs in the coming weeks to give more donations because of this year's amazing support. "In order to grow the project, expanding who we give to is the way to go", said Archer. Archer adds that it's important for businesses to continue supporting the project, but also people in the community for coming out to all fundraising events, which helps support more programs in the region. 

Accepting today's check was Carrie Kern, the new special education director at the Lewis Libby School. 

According to founder Connor Archer, when June arrives every year, the busiest season has arrived. "June typically has been the big month of each year, as we are wrapping up one fundraiser, and then starting many more fundraisers" said Archer. 

Archer will begin his check presentations to local programs that help young children with challenges starting tomorrow, and going throughout the next two weeks. There are seven organizations to present checks to so that will take a few days to get through. 

On Thursday June 9th, Archer will announce the two scholarship winners to his own graduating class at Old Town High School. This will be the second class of scholarship recipients that the project has selected. 

The project is focusing a lot of June into completing paperwork to go non-profit. "It is a move that the project needs to make in a quickly matter" according to Archer. He hopes to have this paperwork processed by June 24, so he can enter 2017 as an official non-profit organization. 

Dates for the 3rd annual Courageous Steps Back to School Drive, and another benefit dinner at the Old Town Governor's Restaurant later this summer. "I am thinking of other fundraisers to plan over the summer, hoping to engage the community and help more programs" said Archer, who thinks having more fundraisers that engage the community will help grow the project. 

A final total from the 3rd annual walk-run fundraiser will be revealed in the next couple of weeks, when all the totals are added up. 

If you have any more questions, please email Connor Archer at: [email protected].