News

Children of Alexandra Kazickas Lithuanian school presented "the Mitten" to the parents and friends of school during the Christmas celebration. Special guests included Santa, Lucy and Joe Kazickas, Marianne Klepacki, Rasa Mitruleviciene and Rimas Vaicaitis. Thanks to school's wonderful teachers, children enjoyed playing the roles of elves, snowflakes and many forest animals that found a cozy shelter in the mitten, singing Christmas songs and playing games with Santa.

As the holiday season is fast approaching, let's pause and remember what season of giving means to us. While remembering Mamyte Alexandra Kazickas (1920-2011) and her eternal care for Lithuania's children, we are glad to share that during the December 13th meeting Kazickas Family Foundation decided to grant $94,364 to support 21 Lithuanian Heritage Schools in the US that submitted the applications.

KFF grantee "Sodziaus Meistrai" is a Trade school in Trakai region, Lithuania. This is their story of the begining of the school year as the students enter newly renovated dormitory and recreational space in the old soviet kolchoz hangar. This is a non-disctirminatory, equal opportunity school where teachers, counselors and school administration find a way to every student's heart.

In 2016, the Kazickas Family Foundation's grant was used to help fund Neringa Camp (Brattleboro, VT) scholarship program. In 2016, Neringa provided a total of $17,625 in scholarships

Updated 1/19/2017

The Baltic Studies Program at Yale University is pleased to announce the selection of two outstanding Lithuanian scholars Jolanta Mickute and Vaidotas Vaicaitis to hold Joseph P. Kazickas Fellowships at Yale University during the Spring 2017 semester. 

On Monday, December 12th, from 1pm to 4pm, in collaboration with KFF, KFF grantee - Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library (Kaunas, Lithuania) organized a conference "Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) in Lithuania: forms old and new". 

This fall one of "Basketball Power" coaches started program's basketball and life-skills lessons at the Kaunas Juvenile Reformatory. Sports consultant Rutenis Paulauskas, who also just recently joined the program, visited the reformatory and shared his observations.

On November 25-26th Lithuanian heritage schools educators from Ireland, United Kingdom, USA, Norway, France, Russia and Sweden gathered at the Lithuanian Language Testers Training Seminar in Vilnius. The first such seminar took place last January in Boston for the Lithuanian heritage schools teachers in the US. Seminar in Vilnius invited teachers from the European Lithuanian Heritage schools.

If you are in Vilnius, on December 3rd, please come visit the 14th International Christmas Charity Bazaar, organized by the International Women's Association of Vilnius and supported by KFF. As every year, all collected funds will be distributed among ten carefully selected recipients.

The "Basketball Power" started its third season and welcomed sport consultant Rutenis Paulauskas to its program. After visiting, observing and interacting with the participants at the Veliucionys center, he shares his thoughts: how to raise a human?