Shastri Ali Memorial Fund

 The Shastri Ali Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in April 2013 after Shastri’s untimely passing. Shastri was a brilliant young man, and his passions include a love for the environment, animals, and a diverse love for education. As a result, the initiation of this Backpack Drive is to assist and to promote educational opportunities by providing the basic learning resources for the children of Trinidad and Tobago; with a strong emphasis on those in under privilege communities. Since the initiation of the Fund, it has provided financial assistance to several college students, which aided in their monetary obligations towards the completion of their degrees. In addition, there has also been significant contributions to many other organizations whose focus is geared towards academic enhancement. The main goal of the Shastri Ali Memorial Scholarship Fund is to raise and provide funding, to assist with educational opportunities, and give children a strong foundation for continued academic achievement and success.  

 FACTS ABOUT SHASTRI: 

• BORN IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
• ATTENDED EASTERN BOYS’ GOVERNMENT PRIMARY SCHOOL
• ATTENDED WOODBROOK SECONDARY GOVERNMENT SCHOOL
• GREAT LOVE FOR ANIMALS
• GREAT LOVE FOR FOOD
• ENJOYED CRAFTING
• AVID READER (FAVOURITE BOOK SERIES HARRY POTTER) 
• ENJOYED FARMING 
• PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS 
• DEDICATIONAL PLAQUE AT THE MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTRE FOR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION.

 SCHOLARSHIP DONATIONS:

• BOOKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO ESHE T&T 
• STORY BOOKS AND NOVELS DONATED TO SVG CHILDREN’S LIBRARY 
• BOOKS DONATED TO KINGSTON ANGLICAN SCHOOL LIBRARY
• CONTRIBUTED SUPPLIES FOR STEM SUMMER PROGRAM IN SVG
• CONTRIBUTED SUPPLIES TO THE CONVENANT HOUSE VET HOMELESS SHELTER 
• CONTRIBUTED SUPPLIES TO THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

If anyone would like to donate to the Shastri Ali Memorial Scholarship Fund please use the link below:  

Every employer that Shastri worked for as a volunteer employee knew him as a dedicated, passionate worker, so as soon as a position became available he was offered the job. While he was working at the Zoo he was offered a position at the Aquarium, and he was very sad that he could not take that job because he was very happy at the Zoo, and was also working weekends at the Science Center. It was with great sadness after working two years at the Zoo he resigned.

Shastri quickly got busy with neighborhood farming, as he began working more at the Science Center. He also volunteered at the Carrie Murray Nature Center. In the summer of 2012 Shastri was offered a job with Baltimore City Recreation (Carrie Murray Nature Center) where he was a camp counselor. He would come home speaking of how much he enjoyed working with the children and the activities he did. He developed a love for face painting and shared that with the children there. After summer camp had ended Shastri became a member of the Board of Directors at Carrie Murray Nature Center. While doing all this Shastri was in college. While he was on campus he volunteered at the college Child Development Center, and he would take in all the animals he had access to for the students to experience. He went on field trips with the teachers, parents and students. Shastri was involved with many different organizations. He had membership to Cylburn Arboretum Association and the Horticultural Society of Maryland.

Shastri was working on his degree at Baltimore City Community College, his major was going to be Environmental Science. He did not complete this course of study because he felt that sitting in a classroom was taking away from the time he could be out helping others, or volunteering. This spring semester he had enrolled at UMBC. He was taking a Master Farming class.

Shastri learned how to incubate and hatch several birds, quail, pheasants and poultry. He breed and fed insects, such as crickets, mealworms, super worms, phoenix worms, wax worms, silkworms, hornworms, earthworms and grasshoppers. “I have also bred triops, guppies, zebra fish, Mosquito fish, brine shrimp, grindal worms, microworms (white worms) and vinegar eels.” Many of these incubations took place in his room. He had at one time over 40 quails in his room.

Shastri Ali’s Scholarship Proposed Criteria

• Must be attending a College in Maryland.
• Must be actively seeking a degree within the (STEM program) science, technology engineering and mathematics) attend/ participate in two thirds of the general club meetings; participate in at least three major different club activities throughout the academic year.)
• Must have completed at least one semester of academics with an average of 3.0 grade point average (12 credits)
• Must justify a need basis. (i.e hardship/ social)
• Specific information: scholarship winner selection will be made by at least one member of the scholarship sponsor (family member) and two advisors from the club.
• Must be an STEM major.

The four $500.00 scholarships can be partial for such as books, tuition assistance and/or fees.

This can be increased to $1000.00 scholarships as the funds increases, and is to be for tuition, fees and books.

• All funds will be sent to the winner’s college account.
• No funds will be given directly to the student.
• There will be no cash dispersed to the student.

Recipients

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Baltimore

National Public Library — Caribbean

Fund Administrator

• Eugena Ali

Donations

CharitySmith accepts donations in two ways:

The above Memorial Fund is established as a division of Charitysmith Nonprofit Foundation (EIN 87-0636433). All donations are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax law. Receipts for tax purposes are sent via US Mail within two weeks of donation. Please consider asking if your employer participates in a gift-matching program. If so, your donation may be matched by your employer.

For questions regarding your donation or this memorial fund please contact CharitySmith.