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Manchester, NH 03105-0990
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PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release:
January 11, 2013

Contact:          Elizabeth Stodolski
                        (603) 629-1430
                        estodolski@stmarysbank.com

St. Mary’s Bank Supports Young Entrepreneurs
Grant to MC2 Charter School will help establish school store and help kids learn retailing

MANCHESTER, NH—January 11, 2013 – St. Mary’s Bank has awarded a Community Outreach Grant to Making Community Connections (MC2 ) Charter School in Manchester, money that will help teens learn about retail sales.

The $850 grant will be used to help establish an in-school store, as part of an entrepreneurship project to help high school students learn how to run their own clothing company.

The MC2 Charter School is a free public school for students in grades 7-12, and currently is housed at the Boys & Girls Club in Manchester.

The store will feature clothing with positive messages to inspire and guide youth, says Kim Carter, MC2 Charter School’s chief education officer.

“The project also will include a service-learning piece, in that the teenagers will teach younger youth how to design and silk-screen their own T-shirts,” said Carter.

“These young men and women are the business people of tomorrow, and we’re pleased to support a program that will give them real-world experience in sales and retail operations,” said Tom Champagne, St. Mary’s Bank Director of Community Outreach.

As to why he and his classmates were interested in participating in the project, Nate Cruz, a high school student at MC2, said "Our reason is to show little kids up to teenagers the good and not the bad and to lead them onto the right path."