The family of retired teacher Rose Fleming has established a scholarship in her honor through the Allegany County Area Foundation (ACAF). This $500 award will support an aspiring teacher with priority to graduates of Belfast or Fillmore central school who will be pursuing teacher training at Ms. Fleming’s alma mater, St. Bonaventure University.
The first scholarship will be made this spring for the 2022-2023 academic year. Students can apply through the regular ACAF online application process (accessible through the ACAF website).
A first-generation college student from Rome, NY, Ms. Fleming attended the only college she applied to – St. Bonaventure University – and is grateful for that education and the scholarships that made it possible. She cherished her time at St. Bonaventure and to this day is a loud and proud alumna. You’ll find her at nearly every home SBU men’s basketball game in her Bonas gear.
A Southern Tier resident since those college days, Ms. Fleming taught for 39 years, most of that at Belfast and Fillmore central schools as a reading specialist, where she developed a reputation as caring, generous, and highly skilled teacher. Ms. Fleming taught hundreds of children to read and nearly seven years into retirement former students still thank her and credit her for that ability.
Ms. Fleming actively contributes to her communities; she has been a school board member, and club advisor. She is very active with St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church and continues to encourage reading in her part-time librarian position at the Belfast Public Library.
ACAF currently holds assets of over $13M and manages 70 scholarship and grant funds. For information about contributing to the Rose Fleming Scholarship or establishing a new fund, contact Bruce Campbell at ACAF via director@acafny.org or 585-296-5616.
