McCaskey High School Projects

In 1983, the Harvey A. Smith Trust, valued at $6,800, made a $300 cash award annually to a McCaskey High School senior demonstrating "selfless service" to school and community.

In 1994, the McCaskey Student Project quickly took form in three parts.

• First was a one-time grant of $5,000 to buy string instruments for the school orchestra.
• Second was the "Leap Ahead" program to encourage selected freshmen to pursue higher education by providing up to $4,500 each for college if they maintained attendance and academic standards for their next three years at McCaskey.
• Third was funding to keep the McCaskey Library open two or three nights each week where students would be tutored by Rotary volunteers.

In 1995, Rotarians worked hard on the McCaskey Project, but one part didn't succeed. Despite funding to keep the library open three nights a week -- and despite the willingness of seventeen Rotarians to tutor on those nights -- the students just didn't show up. Some nights there were more Rotarians present than students! This part of the McCaskey project was closed down in December with agreement of school officials. The "Leap Ahead" program again produced good candidates and good reports about those already enrolled. The Christmas Party was especially notable for the 225 attendees because of the playing of the McCaskey String Ensemble, which included instruments the Club had funded.

In 1996, the Annual Christmas Party included the McCaskey H.S. String Band using instruments funded by the Lancaster Rotary Club.

In 1997, the McCaskey Youth Project continued, with $28,500 in scholarship awards presented.

In 1998, the McCaskey Project continued to expand as more students entered the scholarship program.  The Club held an off-site meeting at McCaskey High School to see the renovations there.

In 2004, President Bob Still thought that going to McCaskey High School's graduation and presenting the $750 scholarship to a student was one of the highlights of his presidency. "The place went absolutely nuts," he said. "You would have thought we were passing out $40,000 scholarships."

In 2006, the School District of Lancaster introduced Rotary's Four-Way Test philosophy to McCaskey High School seniors and formed a student club there. The fundamentals of Rotary principles and fellowship were continually in the foreground during 2006-2007.

In 2008, an Interact Club was chartered at J. P. McCaskey after hard work by Scott Morrison.

In 2009-10, the Club had a successful School Uniform Drive for McCaskey students presented at the Rotary District Banquet.

In 2012, our Club's outreach was enhanced by the development and implementation of a McCaskey mentoring project.

In 2013-4, the Club's McCaskey Mentoring Program Committee met once a month with 11th and 12th graders. There was a waiting list of students for the program. The mentors conferred "diplomas" on the McCaskey Career Tech Senior student participants and honored Career Tech Junior students at the second annual Mentoring Program Commencement Ceremony.

In 2014-5, many members volunteered for the McCaskey Mentoring Program with a gala celebration of student program graduation at a Club meeting where members saw how the program made a difference in the students' lives.

In 2015-16, many Rotarians from our Club mentored youth through the McCaskey program.  RI President Ravindran participated in a hands-on visit to a Mentoring Session at McCaskey. This project involves many Rotarians, and friends of Rotary, in face-to-face opportunities to share life-changing ideas and concepts with eager and engaged students who might otherwise be overlooked or sidelined.

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