Parents Answering Science Lab Challenge With Rousing Support
At the annual Parents' Club Auction, guests were introduced to the Science Lab Challenge—a fundraising challenge to financially support critical renovations to the Physics and Advanced Chemistry laboratories. This challenge comes on the heels of the 2015 challenge which raised funds to renovate the Biology and Chemistry laboratories.
Guests were asked to contribute in any amount that they felt comfortable, and close to 200 gifts were received that night. Gifts ranged from $25 to an incredible $25,000. In just a brief period, the effort raised just under $200,000 with more pledges continuing to come in online. These funds will prove enormously beneficial as Â鶹ÊÓƵ hopes to begin the estimated $325,000 renovation immediately after the school year ends, and have the new laboratory space ready for students when school resumes in the fall.
"This is driving our blue sky thinking of what science education should look like at Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 3 years, in 5 years, in 20 years," said Mr. Frank Barona, chair of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Science Department. "The content is not going to change significantly: the laws of science, the fundamental ideas of biology, chemistry, physics... but what they mean for our students on a day-to-day basis and how we can best convey those: that's constantly part of our upgrade, our conversation, and our planning. That's how science seeks magis."
"There is a certain irony that two of our most well known alumni in science—Dr. Anthony Fauci '58 and Dr. John O'Keefe '57—[and the work they do] come out of a time here at Â鶹ÊÓƵ where science education was fairly minimal," remarked Fr. Jim Croghan, President of Â鶹ÊÓƵ. "But they came out of a curriculum and a school deeply committed to excellence in education, and they were able to build on that. I think now one of our desires is to ensure that the future Dr. Fauci's and Dr. O'Keefe's have the resources they need today."
The auction challenge video message is embedded above. before the fund closes on May 15, 2016. All gifts towards the Auction Challenge count as gifts to the 2016 Â鶹ÊÓƵ Annual Fund.
Above: Renderings of the renovated Chemistry and Physics Laboratory space, anticipated for completion before the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year.
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