The Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) Foundation honored Brian Peierls of the Peierls Foundation at their annual “Bright Futures Benefit Breakfast” for contributing more than $800,000 over the past 20 years.

Peirels was given the “Distinguished Friend of the College” award for the foundation’s contributions to the high school programs at LWTech. The award comes as the Peierls Foundation recently announced its plans to donate an additional $66,000 to the programs, making it their largest single donation so far. The Peierls Foundation is the leading contributor to the high school programs.

The breakfast not only honored Peirels but recognized other contributors to the foundation. It also featured several student speakers who discussed how their scholarships through the foundation helped make their success in education possible.

The Peierls Foundation first began donating to the foundation in 1996, when Peierls was living in Redmond. He visited the LWTech Kirkland campus after discussing ways they could use the foundation to contribute and with the director of the high school programs. During the conversation, he said, he realized how many simple student needs were not being met, preventing some from pursuing their education further.

“It kind of amazed me what she was telling me,” he said.

After learning about the needs of high school students who were seeking an alternative way to complete their high school education, the Foundation made its first donation to the school, in the amount of $10,000. The foundation has continued to donate to the school every year since, even after Peierls moved away from the area.

“It’s grown over the years,” he said. “Every year we’ve been able to give more. I’m thrilled to see the progress it’s made.”

The contributions have provided for student child care, bus passes, tutoring, emergency meals, scholarships for uniforms and tools, in addition to other services.

“What’s important is what has changed… to make it what it is today,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing. I think in the future we’re only going to see bigger and better things.”

The LWTech Foundation supports students through student scholarships, program support and the student emergency fund. In 2014-2015, the LWTech Foundation provided more than $100,000 in student scholarships.

The Peierls Foundation, created in the 1950s, also contributes to national organizations focusing on health, medical research and immigration. Brian Peierls oversees the foundation with his brother, Jeff.