News

For the past year, one of AKGP's main focuses was to have "Lithuanian TOEFL" or the certificate of Lithuanian as a Foreign Language created in Lithuania. Since its begining in 2012, AKGP not only gave funds to the Lithuanian Heritage Schools in the US but also researched their needs. The need to formalize years of learning of Lithuanian, and to assess the skils of Lithuanian language, is very important to the students, parents, and the schools. 

KFF Basketball Social Responsibility Program is being developed through meetings and talks among the Kazickas Family members, in the Kazickas Family Foundation NYC bureau, NBA NYC offices and now, the Kazickas Residence in Vilnius where KFF grantee organizations, their friends and program partners gathered to discuss its development. 

John and Marcie Kazickas with their daughter Victoria visited Santariskes Hospital in Vilnius. They were invited by the Mothers Union Foundation which cares for the children and youth with cancer in Lithuania.

Lithuanian Daily "Lietuvos Rytas" summarized the speech of Jurate Kazickas at the Memorial Evening of Dr.Joseph P. Kazickas in the Palace of Grand Dukes in Vilnius, Lithuania, and posted pictures from the night attended by almost 300 guests, filled with music and great memories.

For the support of Lithuanian language, culture and identity, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania awarded the Kazickas Family Foundation with the Diplomacy Star of Lithuania. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mantvydas Bekesus presented the award to the President of KFF, Jurate Kazickas, on November 26, 2014. 

More in the DLFI News, more pictures on the Flickr.

"During the fall of 2013, I was fortunate to travel to Senegal as a part of a medical relief mission. I was thrilled to travel abroad and incorporable my medical skills along with my knowledge of global health from the classroom.  On this mission, I worked alongside Senegalese practitioners as they evaluated and treated some of the most infirmed patients.

Twenty teachers from Boston, Chicago, Maironis (NY), Donelaitis, A.Kazickas Lithuanian schools participated in a seminar "The most effective teaching/learning. What is it?" organized by KFF (AKGP) and led by Lithuanian language specialist, Director of Boston Lithuanian School Mrs. Gailute Urbonaite - Narkeviciene. The seminar took place in the Lithuanian Alliance of America in NYC.

Lithuanian-American news journal "Bridges" (Volume 38, Issue 8) published articles on the 2014 LISS Program, one of the KFF 2014 grantees:"This summer's Lithuanian International student Services program- sponsored by the Lithuanian-Amercian Community, Inc with financing from the Lithuanian Foundation and the Kazickas Family Foundation - took place in Vilnius, and Kaunas, Lithuania with 33 students attending."

In the Lithuanian tradition, the Kazickas Family and A.Kazickas Lithuanian School (Aquabogue, NY) members gathered to celebrate lives of Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Alexandra Kazickas and their son Alexander, in the Most Holy Trinity Cemetery (East Hampton, NY), on All Saints Day.