Alpha Sigma Tau Makes A Difference

Alpha Sigma Tau members support the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Harlan County, Kentucky as its National Philanthropy through the National Foundation. The Pine Mountain Settlement School opened its doors in 1913 with a few children and teachers, and a wealth of community support. Due to its mountainous terrain, Pine Mountain offered a boarding school opportunity so those children of all ages could receive book learning, as well as an education for life. Since its inception, Pine Mountain Settlement School has continued to expand the curriculum to meet the growing needs of the Appalachian population. It now focuses its efforts on providing Environmental Education programs to both the children of the area and visitors from across the nation. Pine Mountain Settlement School continues to serve the current needs of children by providing an Intervention Program, offering tutorial services to help students maintain their required academic achievement levels.

Alpha Sigma Tau has supported the Pine Mountain Settlement School since 1945 through the financial contributions of its members. Contributions are made through the National Foundation by collegiate and alumnae chapters and individuals. Additionally, Alpha Sigma Tau collegiate and alumnae members can give of their time and talents by working at Pine Mountain Settlement School and helping to advance the purposes of the school.

With additional National Foundation contributions, the following are some of Alpha Sigma Tau's sponsored projects: purchase of major equipment, renovation of campus buildings, purchase of a fifteen-passenger van, and most recently, the endowment of the Pine Mountain Settlement School Intervention Program Fund. These projects support the Pine Mountain Settlement School as it maintains its successful programs and expands the opportunities available to the area.

Alpha Sigma Tau donations are also used to purchase library and audio-visual materials for the Pine Mountain Center. In appreciation of these donations, each item carries a bookplate designating it as a gift from a specific collegiate or alumnae chapter. These bookplates are nature prints designated by Gwen Frostic, a well-known nature artist, environmentalist, and Alpha Sigma Tau.