AURORA—A ceremonial check for $500,000 from the Dunham Fund was presented to dignitaries and student representatives at Aurora Central Catholic High School Nov. 5. The grant is targeted to enhance existing programs at Aurora Central to develop a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program.

Board members, including Aurora Central 1982 graduate Ryan Maley, chairman of the Dunham Fund, made the presentation and took a brief tour of the school where they observed a display of models created by engineering students and a science experiment.

Bishop David Malloy expressed his appreciation for the fund’s support of the school. Maley and ACC’s chief administrative officer, Father William Etheredge, explained that the grant consists of $100,000 plus a $400,000 challenge grant to match funds raised separately by the school.

Father Etheredge said John Dunham, who established the Dunham fund in 1996, had been “very generous” to Aurora Central when its current campus was built and dedicated in 1995.