Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • January 11, 2012 Eastern Christian School Association of North Haledon has received a Small Business Growth Success Award for three business ventures that were established to provide income to support the school’s mission. For over 119 years, the association, which operates a high school in North Haledon, a middle school in Wyckoff, and an elementary and preschool in Midland Park, has relied mainly on tuition income from parents to support the school. However, as rising operating costs and higher tuition rates began to affect enrollment, Head of School Thomas Dykhouse stated, “Necessity, in fact, became the mother of invention at Eastern Christian.” Necessity led Eastern Christian to establish ditto, an upscale resale store; Eagle Solar, a solar energy company; and Eagles Day Camps to augment the school’s income. According to Dykhouse, this collective group of businesses is expected to contribute approximately $300,000 toward funding the school’s core educational mission during the current academic year. Now located in North Haledon, ditto was launched in September 2010. Sales for the first year of operation topped $375,000, enabling the store to donate $75,000 in profits to Eastern Christian School, make financial donations to six community causes and donate clothing and other necessities to residents of Paterson during the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Irene. The store has an all-volunteer staff except for the paid director. Eagle Solar, a solar energy company, started generating electricity in May 2011. This for-profit corporation is owned by Eastern Christian School and was formed to acquire, install, and operate a solar energy system located in the school’s buildings. This investment was funded by the school’s endowment, a start up loan from Atlantic Stewardship Bank of over $2 million, and a federal grant of $800,000. Through this business, Eastern Christian gets an immediate 30 percent reduction in its electricity cost by purchasing electricity from Eagle Solar and, as Eagle Solar’s shareholder, will also receive Eagle Solar’s net profit distributions. Eagle Day Camps was developed to address the underuse of Eastern Christian School’s facilities when school Eastern Christian earns small business growth award Brenda Hopper, CEO, state director, NJ Small Business Development Centers; Thomas Dykhouse, head of school, Eastern Christian School Association; Kate Muldoon, regional director, William Paterson University; Garret G. Nieuwenhuis, executive director, Foundation for ECSA; James Anderson, director, Eagles Day Camps Program; and John Belanus, CEO Eagle Solar LLC. is not in session. The school now offers several separate camps on three campuses, including a preschool day camp, an elementary school day camp, a middle school robotics and rocketry camp, a high school drama camp, and an American high school experience camp for international high school students. During the first year of operation, all camps operated profitably, directly benefiting Eastern Christian School. The Small Business Development Center of William Paterson University sponsored Eastern Christian for the award because of the school’s social entrepreneurship. Kate Muldoon, regional director of the William Paterson University Small Business Development Center, indicated that the selection of a school for the Small Business Growth Success Award was unique in this case. She noted that it was easy to promote the school as a viable candidate in view of the businesses Eastern Christian has successfully launched. Muldoon said the William Paterson SBDC will continue to work with Eastern Christian as the school seeks to develop other revenue producing entities in the coming year.