The Alex Cohn Grant empowers students to explore a particular interest in a way that will have a meaningful impact on their life journey.
During his junior year, Alex Cohn spent time pursuing his passion for freestyle skiing at Mt. Snow Academy. It was this experience–and the confidence it instilled within Alex–that inspired the Alex Cohn Grant.
This grant of up to $5,000 is designed to support other Beaver students who would like to explore their interest in an extracurricular activity, generously funded by donations from Alex’s family and friends. The grant is awarded to a rising junior or senior for an experiential, hands-on program or course of study that will enable them to explore a passion for a particular topic or activity outside of school.
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Each grant is a direct reflection of a student's interests, with past projects ranging from designing a fashion line to exploring movie production to building a sustainable farm. You can check out each of the past Cohn Grant projects here.
This year, applicants for the Cohn Grant sought to launch large initiatives, such as an organization designed to change the narrative for women in sports or a pop-up skillshare intended to help people of color learn how to braid, twist, style, and care for their hair. Others aimed to build something specific with the intent of making a large impact, from handmade functional jewelry designed to promote mental health and manage anxiety, faucet-attachment water filters created for Nigerian communities, or composting toilets to help improve sustainability in a village in Fiji.
Many students aimed to create resources to help younger students learn, whether publishing a math activity book that makes learning fun for 1st-3rd graders, providing homeless shelters with phonics-based pre-school literacy kits, or aiding in the redevelopment of learning centers in Rwanda.
Each application was unique, showcasing students' creativity, compassion, and desire to make a difference.
The three recipients of this year's grant are Margo Kuznetsova '27, Brody VanDernoot '26, and Koko VanDernoot '27.
Margo Kuznetsova '27
Eco-Sort
Margot created Eco-Sort, a device that helps users in public spaces correctly dispose of waste. It identifies items using an image recognition AI and indicates the appropriate disposal bin depending on location, alongside educational messaging about reasons why the item should be disposed that way. Eco-Sort is more noticeable than a poster and makes recycling easier for both the community and the space organizers.
Brody VanDernoot '26, Koko VanDernoot '27
Finding Hope
Brody and Koko set out to film and produce a short documentary about Tommy’s Place, a nonprofit that has offered families facing childhood cancer a free week-long vacation in Cape Cod since 2001. With a goal of screening the finished product at film festivals, the pair plans to use "Finding Hope" to raise awareness about the organization and help Tommy’s Place to open a third location.
HOW TO APPLY
To be considered for the Alex Cohn Grant, students must submit a written proposal including a project description, budget, and timeline. Proposals are reviewed by a selection committee and will serve as the framework for each recipient's work.
For more information on the Cohn Grant, contact Cohn Grant Advisors Melinda Ching and Perry Eaton
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Melinda Ching mching@bcdschool.org
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Perry Eaton peaton@bcdschool.org