Eastern Bank’s Abby Nguyen-Burke, second from right, presents a check in June to Barbara Brothers, summer program coordinator at Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School. Also present were Banneker Executive Director Sherley Bretous-Carre and Elydia Nguyen of Eastern Bank. (Photo: Banneker)

From Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School, June 18: Eastern Bank awarded the Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School a $5,000 grant to support the K-6 STEM elementary school’s summer program, ending Aug. 1.

“This is a very generous gift to our school,” said Sherley Bretous-Carre, the school’s executive director. “We are very grateful for their support. It shows that Eastern Bank values what we do every day, that Eastern values the effort our teachers put into their work and that they support our mission of ensuring every child in Cambridge, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, receives a quality education.”

Founded in 1996, Banneker is one of the oldest and most successful charter schools in the nation, and has educated more than 5,000 students from Cambridge, Boston and surrounding communities.

“Eastern Bank is proud to support organizations that look out for the best interests of the communities that we serve,” said Eastern Bank’s Abby Nguyen-Burke, an assistant vice president and business banking development officer. “The Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School is putting the needs of its students first and we are very excited about the launch of its summer program.”

The money from Eastern Bank benefited the Banneker Summer Program, running from June 30 to Aug. 1 to provide a continued academic, social, health and wellness program for Banneker students through the summer months and help keep students “on grade level” academically through literacy, math and science lessons. In addition, the summer program included a nutrition program (free breakfasts and lunches for students), transportation to and from school and a “summer experience” component.

The summer experience component incorporated summer trips to art and history museums, science centers, aquariums, children’s museums and state and national parks.

“Without the support of Eastern Bank, we would not be able to provide such quality programming to our students,” said Barbara Brothers, the summer program coordinator. “We’re very appreciative of their support.”

Now in its 18th year, Banneker is Greater Boston’s only K-6 science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics school. It is a tuition-free public charter school serving students from Cambridge, Boston and surrounding communities.

Eastern Bank, founded in 1818 and based in Boston, is the largest and oldest mutual bank in the country, with $8.8 billion in assets and more than 90 branches serving communities from the Merrimack Valley to Cape Cod.