Red Hook’s infrastructural degradation seems to be cyclical due to low income housing traditions and the abandonment of a once thriving manufacturing economy, but some citizens are investing their community’s future in the education of residential students. The Red Hook Education Foundation (RHEF) is a non-profit, private organization that seeks to improve public education in Red Hook with the support of the community. Since the Red Hook Central School District has a small budget that reflects that economic health of the neighborhood, RHEF raises money with the help of businesses and private donors to help fund school program and projects by providing capital and equipment that is needed. The RHEF differs from a PTA because it is a privately run foundation with employees, rather than volunteers, that can invest in capital improvement campaigns and donations. A notable project the RHEF has undertaken is soliciting donations for the Martha Strever Scholarship for Achievement in Mathematics. The scholarship of an undisclosed amount is awarded to a senior every year who shows academic excellence in math and plans to continue math studies in college. The RHEF also boasts the creation of the debate club program in middle and high school. They co-sponsor a Debate Tournament that is held at Bard College and send Red Hook debate teams to compete with other high school teams. The RHEF funded the trip to Bard College, showing true interest in their student’s secondary education futures (RHEF).

With such involvement by the RHEF to make underfunded projects a possibility for students, it must influence the Red Hook test scores that compare favorably with New York Citywide scores. Red Hook students in grades 3-8 performed an average of 116 on the performance index with 100 being the state median and only 5% of students who perform under basic standards. On State Regents exams, Red Hook School District overpasses the state median of 100 in all subjects except for Chemistry, which scores a 98, only two points below the state standard (NY Times). Although Red Hook Central School District outperforms New York statewide averages, the benefit to the health of the community will not appear in the short-term. After sending their promising students to college, Red Hook hopes that their scholars will come back and help solve the cyclical economic stagnation of the community. And although strong education programs are a promising investment in the future health of a society, Red Hook will not see this investment turn over as fast as they need it to.