Representative Ben Sanchez, a lifelong district resident and graduate of Abington Senior High School, announced today that the Abington Educational Foundation has been awarded $30,000 to help fund educational programs and clubs in the Abington School District.

The grant, administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, will benefit students across all levels of the Abington School district, specifically targeting STEM, music and arts programs.

“The Abington Educational Foundation is a tremendous source of pride in the community. I’m proud to support them in securing this grant and look forward to seeing all of the students who get to take part in the wonderful program and club enhancements that come from the funding,” Sanchez said.

“AEF is honored and grateful to Ben Sanchez and his team for their role in helping secure this very generous grant. Your commitment to AEF, Abington School District and all students is truly commendable,” said AEF President Natasha Hatton. “These funds will directly support our Grant program, which provides enhanced educational opportunities across all nine Abington schools. On behalf of AEF and Abington’s over 8,000 students, we thank you!”

Sanchez presented a ceremonial check to members of the Abington Educational Foundation over the weekend at their annual Wizards Basketball fundraising event.

In related news, Sanchez also secured a $140,196 grant awarded to Manor College to launch a pre-apprenticeship program.

The program will focus on training local high school students for in-demand jobs within the health care and early childhood education fields.

“Programs like this are integral to Pennsylvania’s future workforce. With a statewide teacher shortage and a growing demand for health care professionals, investing in hands-on training opportunities ensures that students are prepared to confidently step into these roles,” Sanchez said. “This pre-apprenticeship program will open new doors for students, equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed while strengthening our workforce and local economy.”

“Manor College has a mission to guide our students to a new career and pathways to success,” said Dr. Jonathan Peri, president of the college. “This pre-apprenticeship program aligns directly with that mission. This new and exciting route to employment enriches the robustness of our offerings and gives our students even further opportunities for career success.”

Plans to implement this pre-apprenticeship program will begin this summer.

The funding comes from The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry’s Schools-to-Work Grant Program. Manor College was one of 12 statewide grant recipients. 

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