LOWVILLE The Copenhagen Central School district, in conjunction with the Northern New York Community Foundation, has established an educational foundation to help enhance programs and services at the school.

“The potential of our foundation is limitless, and I know this will be something that will benefit the entire Copenhagen school community for many years to come,” district Superintendent Scott N. Connell said the idea for the Copenhagen Central School District Educational Foundation actually came when he recently purchased a life insurance/investment policy and was asked to name a charity that could be a 10 percent beneficiary. Richardson, the Community Foundation’s executive director, whose organization was able to help form an educational foundation that could be named as such a beneficiary, he said.

The foundation also historically has strong investment returns, so any gifts to the fund should multiply in value over the years, Mr. Connell said.

And, given the school’s strong alumni association, current and past community members may be interested in a more official way to give back to the school, he said.

With the addition of Copenhagen, the Northern New York Community Foundation now has formal partnerships with 15 school districts in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, many of which also involve long-term stewardship of endowed scholarship funds.

Copenhagen is the first Lewis County district to establish such a foundation, although Mr. Richardson said officials at the Lowville Academy and Central School which already has several endowment funds administered by the Community Foundation are also considering one.

Individuals, families, organizations, businesses and alumni interested in obtaining additional information regarding the Copenhagen Central School District Educational Foundation can contact the Community Foundation at 782-7110.