News & Updates
- SUMMER 2025 -
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Early Bird Registration is Now Open!
21st Annual Ossining MATTERS
5K/2M Run-Walk for Education - Sept. 6, 2025
| | Join us on Saturday, September 6th, for a fun-filled morning in the heart of Ossining, where we bring the community together in support of our students. Whether you run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, it’s a meaningful way to kick off the school year and make a difference. | |
Celebrating Innovation: Ossining MATTERS Awards $16,343.63 in Educational Grants
We are thrilled to announce our 2025-26 grant recipients! Thanks to community support, we're funding twelve transformative programs, from elementary to high school, that will directly impact thousands of students.
Our awards address diverse educational needs, from a calming space at Park School to help students manage emotions to book repair machines at Brookside and Roosevelt that will save thousands in replacement costs. At Roosevelt, the enterprising Roos Brews Coffee Cart will provide real-world vocational training for RISE students while fostering a sense of school community.
Middle school students at AMD will benefit from fitness center upgrades and new PE equipment. Meanwhile, high schoolers will gain hands-on experience through Business Club competitions, robotics tournaments, the Science Olympiad, and environmental education aboard the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.
These grants exemplify our commitment to supporting creativity, inclusion, wellness, and academic excellence. Visit ossiningmatters.org to learn more about each program and how you can continue supporting innovative education in Ossining.
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A Day on the Hudson: Clearwater Sailing Trip Inspires Learning and Connection
Ossining MATTERS was proud to support a unique learning experience that brought students aboard the historic Clearwater for a day of hands-on education on the Hudson River. For many, it was their first time on a sailboat—and it quickly became an unforgettable adventure.
During the trip, students explored navigation, ecology, and the river’s history through interactive stations. They steered the boat, raised the sails, examined fish species, and learned how tides and salinity affect the environment and the quality of drinking water.
The experience also encouraged reflection, unity, and teamwork. A moment of silence, live music from the crew, and inclusive symbols, such as the trans flag, made a lasting impact. One student shared, “It felt like teamwork… I’ll always remember it.”
Back in the classroom, students extended their learning through poems, drawings, and written reflections that captured both the educational and emotional impact of the day.
We’re honored to help make programs like this possible, ones that connect students to nature, deepen real-world learning, and create lasting memories.
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Real-World Experience and Leadership Through Business Club & DECA
Ossining High School’s Business Club and DECA program continue to thrive, giving students hands-on experience in business, finance, marketing, and community service. Students participated in academic competitions, tax preparation services, and real-world challenges that helped develop their leadership, critical thinking, and professional skills.
This year, nearly 50 students helped file over 240 tax returns through the VITA program—an impressive increase from the year before. Students trained for weeks and then prepared taxes from February through April.
In DECA, 33 students competed regionally, 22 advanced to the state level, and 3 reached the international competition. Students also competed in the Business Skills Olympics and the Personal Finance Challenge at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where one team ranked in the top 10 statewide.
Creative and entrepreneurial projects added new energy, from designing branded pumpkins for local businesses to planning a new merchandise line and etiquette luncheon for next year.
Ossining MATTERS is proud to support this impactful program.
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Celebrating 22 Years of Impact
On May 21, 2003, the Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation was officially established with a simple but powerful mission: to support and enrich learning opportunities for all students in the Ossining School District.
Now, 22 years later, we celebrate more than two decades of community-driven impact.
We honor the visionary Board members who came before us. Their dedication created a legacy we are proud to carry forward. We also extend heartfelt thanks to the local businesses and community members whose generous support continues to fuel our mission.
Because of you, we’ve been able to fund programs in academics, the arts, and athletics, helping students grow, explore, and succeed.
Here’s to 22 years of making a difference—and to the many more still to come!
| | | | JOIN OUR BOARD OR VOLUNTEER | | |
Looking to Make a Difference in Your Community?
Serving on the Board of Ossining MATTERS or one of our volunteer committees offers a powerful way to impact students' lives across our community.
You’ll collaborate with dedicated individuals who share your passion for equity in education. Together, we’ll champion projects that strengthen our schools, from organizing engaging community fundraisers to enhancing vital educational programs.
Be part of something bigger. Your skills and energy can create profound, lasting change.
Contact us today to get involved!
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| The mission of the Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation is to support and enrich the learning opportunities for all children in the Ossining School District. The goal of the foundation is to generate community awareness and support for the Ossining School District in order to provide an ongoing source of funds, through grants and other fundraising efforts, to augment the programs offered in the Ossining Public Schools. The funds will be used to develop and support programs in accordance with the Ossining School District’s mission statement in the areas of (but not limited to) academics, cultural arts, and athletics to ensure that each student realizes his or her fullest potential. | | | | | | |
