Rochester Student Donates Award Money After Tragedy

ROCHESTER (WBSM) — A student at the Rochester Memorial School recently won a prestigious award and is donating the prize money to a charity in memory of a schoolmate who tragically passed away in a skiing accident last month.

Fourth grader Tommy Cahill was recently selected as a Feinstein Foundation Golden Ticket winner.

The Feinstein Foundation was founded by Alan Shawn Feinstein in 1991 “to recognize and encourage young people to do good deeds and be kind whenever possible.”

How the Feinstein Golden Ticket Program Works

Each student who is named as a Feinstein Jr. Scholar receives an individually-numbered Golden Ticket. Drawings are then held weekly on WPRI-TV and five student tickets from elementary and middle schools across Rhode Island and Massachusetts are randomly selected to win the prize.

Tommy’s Golden Ticket win means Rochester Memorial School will receive a $2,000 grant from the Feinstein Foundation, and Tommy himself received $500 to donate to a charity of his choice.

What Tommy Cahill Did With His Prize Money

He chose the Forever 1111 Fund, which honors Madelyn Eitas of Rochester. The 11-year-old Rochester Memorial Student was killed in an avalanche in Utah in February while vacationing with her family.

School Leaders Praise Student’s Generosity

“We are thankful for the Feinstein Foundation’s charitability and the opportunities they provide ticket winners,” RMS Principal Heidi Letendre said. “Our students’ generosity and kindness shines through when they have the chance to make a difference, and that was certainly the case with Tommy. His decision to support a local Rochester family’s cause through the Forever 1111 Fund is admirable.”

The Feinstein Foundation has also included a $300 grant to fund an End of Year Sixth-Grade Celebration.

“The Feinstein Foundation’s commitment to teaching the younger generation the values of kindness is honorable,” Old Rochester School District Superintendent Michael S. Nelson said. “Their work allows students to see the impact good deeds have within their communities and provides them the power to do so in a way that aligns with their own values. Tommy’s choice to donate to the Forever 1111 Fund shows his support and compassion for the Rochester community.”