BURRILLVILLE – Wright’s Farm Restaurant awarded graduating Burrillville High School seniors Jaime Allen and Olivia Ferraro scholarships of $5,000 each this week through the 10th annual George P. Ducharme Scholarship Program.
The restaurant at 84 Inman Road presented the funds to help with college-related expenses at an awards ceremony in Wednesday, June 4.
This fall, Allen will enter Rhode Island College, pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education, while Ferraro will attend the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, studying to become a physician assistant.
A host of students from Burrillville High School applied for the scholarship this year, which is named after the late George P. Ducharme, a 1948 graduate of BHS and awarded athlete who went on to become the high school’s vice principal and principal from 1966-1985. As recently as 2019, Ducharme was still substituting as principal when duty called in the Burrillville school district. He was a military veteran, a mentor, and a valued member of the community for more than 70 years.
“By supporting students like Jamie and Olivia, we’re celebrating the values Mr. Ducharme stood for: dedication, perseverance, and community service,” said Frank Galleshaw III, owner of Wright’s Farm Restaurant. “Honoring Mr. Ducharme, who shaped my life and the lives of so many others, through this scholarship program, is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do at Wright’s Farm.”
The George P. Ducharme Scholarship is open to students attending a U.S.-based four-year college or university. To be eligible to apply, students must be members of the BHS graduating class that year and have received official acceptance to a matriculating accredited four-year college or university. The selection criteria are based on demonstrated need; academic and personal recommendations; academic and personal achievements; school and community involvement and additional factors as determined by the George P. Ducharme Scholarship Committee.
Applications for the 2026 scholarship will be available in February at: https://www.wrightsfarm.com/restaurant/about/scholarship/.
Really grateful for Frank Galleshaw’s generosity in funding these two really substantial scholarships in memory of George Ducharme, a great educator who loved and served his home community his entire life. And congratulations to these fine women about to embark on a great adventure.