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Nye Grant

Grace Swift Nye Fund

The Grace Swift Nye Fund is an endowment provided to Bourne High School as of 1995.  These monies are utilized to enhance the educational offerings for the high school students.  The staff members submit grants describing how they would like to enrich the curriculum through guest speakers, special presentations, field trips, after school programs, teacher development workshops and the purchase of additional materials.  It is an inspiring and invaluable program that benefits every student and faculty member at Bourne High School.

Below is a sampling of the proposals supported by the Nye Grant for 2018-2019:

  • After school activities such as the Bourne Community Book Discussion Group, the History Club,  the Robotics Club participation in First Tech Challenge, the Model UN Club, the Gay Straight Alliance Club and the After School Game Club
  • In-school performances (ex. Hyannis Sound Male A Capella Singers, Model UN at BHS, Guest Speaker Arn Chorn-Pond (Human Rights Activist, Survivor of the Khmer Rouge and Musician)).
  • Field trip experiences to Key Club District Convention & KPTI Day, Pathways Program at CCCC, Boston National College Fair, Boston Museum of Fine Arts (French Pastels Exhibit, Exploring Culture Tour), Spyce Restaurant Robotic Kitchen, State Government Day in Boston, UMASS Amherst Women in Engineering Day, Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Physics Day at Six Flags New England, STEM Expo at Logan Airport, a Whale Watch, French class trip to Crepe Cod and La Boulangerie, and Cape Cod Residential Construction Career Day.
  • The Theater Program (performing Chicago and Once on This Island; in addition, the Drama Club made it to the semi-final level of competition in the MA High School Drama Club Festival), the Bourne Science and Engineering Fair, a percussion assistant for the BHS Band, a STEM Math Competition, a Tape Art Event, transportation for the Senior Walk to all Bourne Schools, as well as transportation to the All Cape and Islands Music Festival.
  • Electrophoresis Chambers, Graphic Novels (To Kill a Mockingbird), Albert.io online science program, additions to the Aquaponics lab, Active Learning chairs and a Project Based Algebra Program.

The Nye Grant enriches the educational experience of all our students thanks to the foresight and generosity of alumna Grace Swift Nye.

BHS staff, parents and community members are encouraged to share ideas or propose grants.  Please direct all inquiries to Patti Parker (pparker@bourneps.org), Nye Grant Coordinator at Bourne High School.

Related Files

Grace Swift Nye

Grace Swift was born in Wareham, Massachusetts in 1892.  She lived most of her early life in the Cedarville section of Plymouth, where her father, George Swift, ran a general store.  When it came time for her to attend high school, her father decided that she should attend Bourne High School.  Grace was the valedictorian of the Class of 1910.  Following graduation, Grace attended Normal School and taught in the public schools in several New England states.  In 1916 she married Alfred Nye, a high school classmate from the Sagamore section of Bourne.  

Alfred became a successful businessman who owned lumber yards on the Cape and in central Connecticut.  The Nye's were thrifty, frugal people.  They developed into astute investors and acquired considerable wealth during their lives.  Since they did not have children, they created a long-range plan under which they left the bulk of their assets to churches, hospitals and established organizations throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and Florida.  Alfred died in 1977 and Grace in 1994 at the age of 102.

At her death, Grace funded two trust funds, the Grace Swift Nye and Alfred Gibbs Nye Scholarship Trust and the Grace Swift Nye Fund.  The Grace Swift Nye Fund was established to support a program of academic enrichment in Bourne High School.  Grace stated in her Valedictory essay, "When we have obtained our objectives in life, we can look back with satisfaction and pleasant recollections upon our old class motto:  'The end crowns the work.'" This fund is more than a tribute to pleasant memories. It is a living legacy recognizing the lifetime inspirational value of academics.