AnnualThe Dwight School Foundation Report 2019-20 Table of Contents Letter from The Dwight School Foundation Board Chair ..................................... 1 Letter from the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Head of School ....................... 1 Year in Review ..................................................................................................... 2 Volunteers............................................................................................................ 3 The Dwight School Foundation by the Numbers ................................................. 4 Spark Tank ........................................................................................................... 5 Professional Development and Financial Aid ...................................................... 6 Spark 21 Campaign - Capital Giving ................................................................... 7 The Spark Tank Service Challenge and Spark Talks ........................................... 8 Annual Fund ........................................................................................................ 9 International Society ..................................................................................... 9 Supporters .................................................................................................... 10 Senior Gift ..................................................................................................... 12 Parent Giving ................................................................................................ 13 Alumni Giving ................................................................................................ 14 Faculty and Staff Giving ................................................................................ 15 Grandparent, Alumni Parent, Former Faculty and Staff, and Friends Giving ......16 Corporate and Foundation Giving ................................................................. 16 2020 Half Marathon ............................................................................................. 17 Ways to Give ....................................................................................................... 18 THE DWIGHT SCHOOL FOUNDATION Established in 1969, The Dwight School Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is governed by a Board of Trustees and provides professional development grants to faculty, and financial aid and innovation grants to students. The Dwight School Foundation Board of Trustees 2019-20 Susan Kessler, Chair Sean Gallagher Aileen Bruner, Ex-Officio, Julie Stratopoulos, Max Herrnstein Parents Association Treasurer Michael Kalnick Shriti Rath, Ex-Officio, Elizabeth Callaway Dave Lindsey Alumni Council President Andrew Chrisomalis Kim Saperstein �92 Gary Fuhrman �79 Ravi Singh Dear Dwight Community and Friends, Dear Dwight Community On behalf of The Dwight School Foundation’s and Friends, Board of Trustees, thank you for giving your We have been able to advance time, energy, and resources to our community education in new and exciting ways during a year unlike any other to sustain for more than five decades, thanks Dwight’s unwavering commitment to ignite the to the vision and funding of The spark of genius in every child. Dwight School Foundation. Never During this unprecedented time, our community has not only before in Dwight’s near 150-year come together to help one another, but also, to support the history has this been more critical Foundation’s critically important mission during the most than during COVID-19. We thank the Foundation and you challenging time in our 50-year history. Thanks to your generosity, on behalf of our students and faculty, who are the beneficiaries in 2019-20, we awarded $1.55 million in financial aid, enabling of your generosity. Your support of the Foundation and its many gifted and talented students to receive a world-class vital mission to fund student financial aid, faculty professional Dwight education regardless of their financial means; funded development, and Spark Tank innovation grants during these 104 professional development grants, so that faculty could bring uncertain times fills us with equal measures of gratitude and the latest teaching and innovation strategies into the physical hope for the future. and virtual classroom to benefit all students; and nurtured the In 2019-20, the amount of money the Foundation raised entrepreneurial dreams of 70 students who participated in Spark through the Annual Fund for student financial aid enabled Tank, including 14 who received launch awards for successfully us to empower so many gifted and talented students to take completing their projects. intellectual risks, follow their hearts, and develop their talents. In response to COVID-19 and the School moving to a virtual Additionally, a record number of students participated in and learning model this past spring, the Foundation was pleased to launched their passion projects through Spark Tank, thanks to 2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT introduce two new initiatives: the Spark Tank Service Challenge, Foundation guidance, mentorship, and innovation grants. The where student-led projects that raised funds and/or supplies for pandemic fueled the Spark Tank Innovation Challenge, in worthy causes were awarded grants; and Spark Talks, a webinar which even more students received funds to advance causes series featuring innovators and entrepreneurs in the Dwight they believe in, illustrating their strong desire to make our community who shared their expertise with students and all of us. world a better place amidst a global crisis. This year, we were also pleased to provide funding to underwrite Also through the 2019-20 Annual Fund, support for faculty the Pollyanna Racial Literacy Curriculum to enhance the School’s professional development, which advances our teachers’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) instruction for students abilities to educate skilled transformational thinkers — needed in Pre-K-grade 10; and WILD (Wilderness Instruction and now more than ever in the pandemic — was greatly enhanced. Leadership Development), an innovative outdoor program that helps to fulfill the School’s vision to foster the next generation of The Foundation’s Spark 21 Campaign, which invests further global leaders who can thrive anywhere in the world. in our students, faculty, and programs, underwrote the Pollyanna Racial Literacy curriculum to enhance our School’s I want to thank all of the volunteers who worked tirelessly to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts, enabling Dwight spearhead our fundraising initiatives both before and during the to incorporate this critically important instruction for students pandemic, which enabled the Foundation to achieve its goals from Pre-K through grade 10. So, too, did the Campaign without interruption. support the growth of the WILD (Wilderness Instruction and Despite uncertainties and the changing landscape of our world, Leadership Development) program and the purchase of new we have much to celebrate, beginning with the strength and instruments for our student-musicians. caring of our community. All of us, most especially our children, We thank the Foundation — and all of you — for your are fortunate that Dwight is such a truly special place. With generosity of both spirit and resources, especially as we shifted Chancellor Stephen Spahn, Vice Chancellor Blake Spahn, and during the spring to virtual learning. Our community, buoyed Head of School Dianne Drew leading the way, their sparks of by a deep and abiding dedication to our students, navigated genius will continue to shine brightly and their futures promise uncharted waters together with compassion, resilience, and an to be even brighter. innovative mindset. As we look ahead, we know that together Thank you again for your ongoing support, and wishing you we will continue to break new educational ground and to ignite health and safety as we move forward. many more sparks of genius for years to come Warmly, Warm regards, Susan Kessler (Stephen ’10, William ’14) Stephen Spahn Blake Spahn Dianne Drew Board Chair, The Dwight School Foundation Chancellor Vice Chancellor Head of School 1 Year in Review Thank You for Supporting The Dwight School Foundation! Your generosity during 2019-20 made the following possible: $1.55 million in financial aid grants awarded to students professional 104 development awarded Our community gathered grants to faculty together for: Alumni Reunion and Alumni Basketball Game Underwriting the Pollyanna Racial Spark Tank Events, Expos, Literacy Curriculum to and Pop-up Shops enhance Spark Talks Dwight’s Diversity, Volunteer Appreciation events Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) instruction 70 students participated in Spark Tank THE DWIGHT SCHOOL FOUNDATION Spark Tank Service Challenge grants for 15 students Funding for state-of-the-art equipment Our volunteers continued to and curriculum innovation make a difference: for enhanced classroom learning Board of Trustees Annual Fund Committee Senior Gift Committee Funding to launch WILD (Wilderness Spark Tank Committee Instruction and Leadership Development), an Parents Association Executive Board Alumni Council innovative Class Representatives outdoor program 2 Volunteers Thank you to all of our volunteers in the following groups who played a critical role in supporting The Dwight School Foundation’s efforts in 2019-20: The Dwight School Foundation Trustees advise and The Spark Tank Committee advises, mentors, and work in conjunction