Helen and Martin DeFrance’s Gifts to St. Andrew’s
When Helen DeFrance told her son she had decided to remember his school in her estate planning, the ninth grader’s response surprised her.
“I want to leave St. Andrew’s a gift, too,” Martin DeFrance told his mother. “St. Andrew’s has been good to me and I want to give something back.”
Martin has attended other schools, but truly found his niche when he en-rolled in St. Andrew’s in the seventh grade. A gifted musician with an equal passion for theatre, Martin is active in the band, theatre tech, and other performing arts programs at St. Andrew’s. Along with his mother, Martin made a planned gift to St. Andrew’s, specifying that his gift be used to enhance the school’s performing arts programs.
St. Andrew’s has also encouraged Helen DeFrance’s talents; she teaches cooking
classes at the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools.
“St. Andrew’s has not only challenged Martin academically and nurtured his artistic talents, but has also genuinely cared about him as a person,” says Helen DeFrance. “I’m a single parent, and while Martin and I have a large, wonderful extended family here, we wanted a school that would be more than just a school. Martin and I have both found a home at St. Andrew’s.”
“I have better friends at St. Andrew’s. There’s not a cool group or a loser group here – instead, everyone is accepted,” Martin says. “I’ve made better friends here and I have teachers who are supportive and encourage me. St. Andrew’s is not just my school. St. Andrew’s is my community.”