Chris Perry Foundation Donates $23,000 to Fryeburg Academy for New Technology, Arts, and Performance Initiatives
Gift will expand the Chris Perry Creative Technology Lab and Cram Learning Commons with new equipment for robotics, digital arts, media production, and student performance.
FRYEBURG, Maine - September 28, 2026 - The Chris Perry Foundation announced today a $23,000 gift to Fryeburg Academy to fund a series of technology and creative-arts initiatives across the Chris Perry Creative Technology Lab and the Cram Learning Commons. The donation will touch nearly every corner of student life at the Academy, from robotics and engineering to digital arts, media production, and live performance.
The funding will support a wide range of upgrades, including a dedicated CAD workstation for the robotics team, a new AV Club and photo/video production studio, a fleet of Apple Pencils for digital arts classes, and professional-grade audio and stage equipment - including microphones, a portable PA system, and a wireless silent-headphone system for campus events. The gift also funds a compact performance and presentation stage, large-format displays for community viewing, mobile charging stations for classroom devices, and acoustic privacy panels to support focused, independent study throughout the Learning Commons.
Together, these additions are designed to give students hands-on access to the same tools used in professional creative and technical fields - helping young engineers refine complex CAD designs, aspiring filmmakers and broadcasters produce polished audio and video work, digital artists build new creative skills, and student performers and presenters take the stage with professional-quality sound and support.
“Chris believed technology should bring people together and give students the tools to build, create, and explore,” said Sue Perry, President of the Chris Perry Foundation. “This gift reflects exactly that spirit. Whether a student is coding a robot, editing a film, or performing on stage for the first time, we want them to have real, professional-grade resources behind them — the kind of hands-on opportunities that shaped Chris's own path.”
“We are deeply grateful to the Chris Perry Foundation for this incredible investment in our students,” said David Sartory, Director of the Cram Learning Commons and Library. “This gift touches so many parts of campus life — our robotics team, our digital artists, our AV and media students, and every student who will one day step onto our new stage. It's a gift that will be felt across disciplines and across generations of Fryeburg Academy students.”
About the Chris Perry Foundation
The Christopher Perry Technology & Innovation Foundation was established in memory of Chris Perry, a member of Fryeburg Academy's Class of 2010 who was remembered by friends and family for his creativity, kindness, and love of technology. Chris passed away in 2025, just before his 33rd birthday. In his memory, friends and family founded the Chris Perry Foundation to carry forward his passions by supporting technology education across Maine and New Hampshire - funding enhancements to the Chris Perry Creative Technology Lab at Fryeburg Academy, providing scholarships for students pursuing technology fields in college, and creating opportunities for young people to explore computers, coding, and technology. The Foundation has previously supported Fryeburg Academy's Robotics Team, including a $2,500 gift to help the team travel to the World Championship after qualifying at the Maine State Robotics Tournament.
The Foundation welcomes donations year-round and hosts an annual fundraiser each June, including a golf tournament at Lake Kezar Country Club, with proceeds going directly toward scholarships, lab enhancements, and youth technology programs. More information, including how to get involved or donate, is available at chrisperryfoundation.com.
