You would have already seen that this week we have launched UA’s Annual Giving Campaign! This is a time that allows us to celebrate all the wonderful things that we were able to add to the school and program this past year, and look ahead to what is next.
Because of the generosity of our families, spaces across JK through Grade 12 were substantially enhanced. Two junior decks were modernized, one with a new play structure, the Rousseau House now has a large sandbox, and all three middle and senior floors were outfitted with additional common space furniture. Middle and Senior School students now have access to expanded equipment for robotics, fine arts, performing arts, science and athletics.
This year’s campaign is again focused on updates that will impact and enrich every student’s day-to-day experience. Which is why we are asking for your support in partnering with us to reach our goal of 100% family participation and an overall goal of $250,000.
And for what, you may ask? That is a fantastic question! If you have time this weekend, ask your child about their assemblies. They will likely tell you that it’s an information conduit and presentation opportunity for Senior School. For Middle School, it’s a more lively time when the Media Arts students take the topics in all sorts of different directions, and for our Junior Students, it is full of learning, music and connectivity. For full school assemblies, we are all in the gym, focussing on key learning opportunities and events of celebration.
However, if you ask them about the technical side of things (parents who have been at full school assemblies would know this too), I wouldn’t be surprised if they said there was room for improvement. This is what our Head of School Wishlist for the Annual Giving Campaign is focused on — installing AV enhancements for assemblies and presentations in the gym, as well as across the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floor gathering areas. We would be able to do so much more and engage our students better if they could see and hear presentations more clearly. We would also love to add live-streaming to the gym so that families who can not attend full school assemblies, or watch their child’s game in person, can do that from wherever they may be!
Another ‘bucket’ we regularly raise funds for is Academic and Extracurricular Enrichment. This helps us provide athletic, science and arts equipment, update student technology, and direct support for specialty initiatives such as the new UA ARC Program. It also allows us to invite in experts and guest speakers, and expand experiential field studies that stretch student perspectives.
Finally, the third bucket that families can choose to support is that of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Funding this initiative helps to remove financial barriers to welcome and sustain a diverse, talented student body.
You have the opportunity to select the ‘bucket’ of your choice and help us expand the student experience in a variety of ways. There are many ways to donate today, as we again invite you to be part of a wonderful culture of philanthropy at UA.
Together We Give. Together We Grow!
Yours in developing Urban Academy,
Sonja Kennedy, Director of Development