AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL Thessaloniki, Greece Annual Report 2016
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NURTURING MINDS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD
Unfold to view our donors
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ANNUAL REPORT 2016 For the year ending June 30, 2016 THE AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL Thessalonica Agricultural & Industrial Institute
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CO NT ENTS
Letter from the President I
Letter from the Chairman of the Board II
Forward
Perrotis College IV
School of Professional Education V
High School VI
Primary Division VII
Professional Development
Campus and Facilities
The Farm
Financial Results XI
Governance
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XII
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VIII
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LET T ER FRO M T HE PRESI D ENT
At a time when we are surrounded by challenges, both on the national and international stage, a history as illustrious as that of the American Farm School sets a lofty precedent, and can weigh heavy.
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
With more than a century of service in education, but most importantly, of devotion to the advancement of Greek youth through the cultivation of entrepreneurial minds and indomitable spirits, we have made a concerted choice to continue to make history in spite of the pressures of a precarious economic and political environment. Through our heralded Learn by Doing approach to education across all divisions, we empower students to take charge of their learning, seek personal growth and become engaged and inquisitive thinkers.
We believe that those who involve all their faculties in the learning process will become the bold architects of tomorrow’s meaningful change.
There can be little doubt that the American Farm School, begun as a vocational program for orphaned boys in 1904, has come a long way. Now comprised of a Preschool, Elementary School, and the General and Vocational High Schools, the institution is a leader in STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, agriculture and math) and environmental education in Greece. Perrotis College, founded in 1996 under the School’s aegis, currently offers B.Sc. degrees in majors related to agriculture, environmental and life sciences. In the Fall of 2017, it will welcome its first class of M.Sc. candidates. And the story doesn’t end here. As educators, we determinedly carry out our commitment to providing quality academic opportunities and purposeful, real world learning experiences to all our students. To ensure that deserving students have access to this education, the School provides significant financial assistance to a large proportion of the student body, offering the longest-standing scholarship program in all of Greece. Through an emphasis on STEAM education, American cultural and entrepreneurial values, and experiential learning, our programs teach and demonstrate the most effective educational, business, applied research and production practices, and apply them to the disciplines of agriculture, environmental and food science towards the betterment of society. In our 2015–2016 Annual Report, you will read about some of the year’s most significant milestones. Thank you for your important support of our work that helps make these strides possible.
Panos Kanellis, Ph.D. President American Farm School & Perrotis College
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LET T ER FRO M T HE CHAI RM AN O F T HE B OARD
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The Board is proud of the American Farm School’s 2015–2016 achievements. Not only is the School weathering Greece’s economic turmoil, but it radiates the positive energy, momentum and progress that attracts talented students and faculty and the confidence of our supporters.
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
We ended the June 30, 2016 academic year with a stable outlook for the year ahead. Although Greece continues to experience the effects of an economy that has contracted 25% in the last six years, the School has prudently stewarded its resources and has managed to strengthen and expand its academic programs, meet the demonstrated need for financial aid as students’ families struggle with their own financial challenges, and invest in needed capital projects.
The economic crisis, though painful, has encouraged the institution to further hone its priorities. Our students will likely face more unknown challenges than any generation before them.
One of the institution’s primary roles is to prepare its graduates to adapt to rapid change, and to contribute to their professions and communities by applying science to solve problems, particularly in our core areas of agriculture, the environment and related disciplines. We invite you to read on the following pages about the unique, real world learning opportunities the School provides — both on and off campus — designed to do just that. As we take stock of the past year, I would like to express our special gratitude to the School’s friends and donors who have helped to advance this extraordinary progress during a climate of constraint. Your support encourages and inspires our students, faculty, alumni and leadership, and helps ensure a bright future for the School’s second century of service.
Robert W. Uek Chairman of the Board of Trustees American Farm School & Perrotis College
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A PIONEER IN EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION
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FO RWARD
FORWARD Nurturing minds to shape tomorrow
Since its founding in 1904, the American Farm School has been a leading force in Greece and the region. Through its hallmark Learn by Doing approach to education, the School helps students of all ages achieve their potential. We encourage them to dream big. We give them the confidence — grounded in hands-on learning — to transform their ideas into reality.
American educational values remain deeply rooted at the School, imbuing our young men and women with a can-do spirit, respect for collaboration and a practical approach to problem solving.
And while proud of our heritage, the American Farm School embraces change. Now in its 112th year, the School continues to grow, expanding its academic offerings, research opportunities, academic and business partnerships, and extension and outreach programs. Today, more than ever, the education offered by the American Farm School is vitally needed. Greece is navigating one of the most difficult periods in its modern history. Its economy is volatile, and uncertainty affects all aspects of daily life.
At the same time, food and agriculture are among the most dynamic and high-growth sectors in the regional and global economy.
We believe in the limitless potential of our graduates to effect change. Amid the troubling statistics, there are also viable agro-food businesses that are generating jobs and introducing nutritious specialty products. Front-line researchers who are creating knowledge to improve health, as well as competitiveness and sustainability. Successful practitioners incorporating new technologies to conserve resources and increase production.
Whatever careers our alumni choose to pursue, their robust education prepares them to excel, to pivot in a fast-paced world while holding true to the values that keep them strong.
The School’s Scholarship Program ensures that all students in our High School and Perrotis College receive needed support to help cover the costs of tuition and room and board. The institution also earmarks funds each year for merit-based scholarships to recruit and retain the most motivated and gifted students. The most expansive of any in Greece, the American Farm School’s Scholarship Program sets an example of inclusion by providing access to quality education for all. We are steadily building a comprehensive framework that prepares students not only for further study, research and careers — but for life. We will soon introduce new academic divisions, including the Perrotis College Graduate School in 2017, and the Middle School in 2019 designed to bridge the current gap between the Elementary and the High Schools. By providing a vertically integrated pathway of intellectual development, we believe learning becomes more meaningful and relevant. And through sustained interaction with our students, we are confident we can more effectively foster the values and transmit the skills needed for these young men and women — and the country — to create a more viable future. We hope you will be inspired by the School’s latest accomplishments described in this 2015–2016 Annual Report. Thanks to your assistance, the American Farm School has stayed true to its mission while dynamically supporting the hopes and aspirations of a new generation.
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PERROTIS COLLEGE SERVES AS A LEADING INNOVATION FACILITATOR
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PERROTIS COLLEGE
Established in 1996 through a generous gift from Mrs. Aliki Perroti, the College today offers B.Sc. degrees in four majors. It will soon expand to include a School of Graduate Studies that will place Perrotis College at the cutting edge of scholarship and applied research in some of the world’s fastest growing sectors. Undergraduate students currently choose from internationally recognized B.Sc. programs, conducted in English: Environmental Systems Management, Food Science & Technology, International Business, and Alternative Tourism Management.
from universities across the U.S., such as Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Arkansas, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Indiana State University, St. Leo University, and Texas A&M.
At the heart of the Perrotis College educational experience is the institution’s Learn By Doing philosophy. Students have access to state of the art facilities ranging from the Aliki Perroti Research Laboratories to the living laboratories that include the wider campus and educational farm. The new Aliki Perroti Educational Center, scheduled for completion in the Fall of 2017, will be a cutting edge academic complex to serve generations of students and faculty.
In addition to providing students with the educational means to excel in future academic pursuits and develop meaningful careers in agriculture, agribusiness, food science, and more, the College continues to build partnerships with industry, as well as academic and research institutions, while also continually enhancing its own entrepreneurial activities. These collaborative efforts significantly benefit our students, faculty and the Greek primary sector, and remain an important priority as the College extends its reach.
The College’s academic offerings are enhanced through a network of student support services and a diverse community life unique on higher education campuses in Greece. The American values and educational philosophy that underpin the institution are further reinforced by interaction with American students and faculty participating in Perrotis College’s Study Abroad programs
As Perrotis College continues to grow, areas of engagement will respond to the needs of the region’s economy. The College already serves as a leading innovation facilitator by transferring applied research to support the needs of regional agro-food businesses and related partners in environmental and life sciences.
Perrotis College is a dynamic center of higher learning focused on agricultural, environmental and life sciences.
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Milestones 2015–2016 Renowned Greek scientist Dr. Athanasios Tsaftaris was appointed Dean of Perrotis College’s new Graduate School. Dr. Tsaftaris, Greece’s former Minster of Food and Agriculture, is preparing the College’s entry into graduate studies to begin in the Fall of 2017. The first graduate majors to be introduced will be New Food Product & Business Development, and Marketing for the Agro-Food Sector. Majors to be subsequently added are Sustainable AgroEnvironmental Systems Management, Plant Seed & Propagation Material Production Management, and Livestock Science & Production Management. The recently renovated Seth Frank Hall of Graduate Studies will serve the graduate program through world class laboratories and teaching spaces. Perrotis College’s Krinos Olive Center was established in 2013 to address education and research needs, and promote the success of the olive and olive oil production sector in Greece. During 2015–2016, students and faculty participated in research that included evaluating the carbon and water footprint of the olive life-cycle and disseminating this and other information regarding sustainable production methods, effective marketing and exports and more, to producers and consumers across Greece. The Krinos Olive Center actively collaborates with that of the University of California at Davis for joint research and teaching for the benefit of Greek and U.S. olive oil producers and consumers.
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Perrotis College began the process of seeking U.S. accreditation for its undergraduate programs from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges during 2015–2016. A globally recognized standard of excellence, NEASC accreditation attests to a college’s high quality and integrity. Recognizing that students differ with regard to their academic preparation, personal development and strengths, new emphasis was given to the College’s Student Services program in 2015–2016 to help students achieve their potential while also fully engaging in the life of the community. With approximately 80% of the undergraduate student body living on campus, opportunities abound. The College is investing in professional development for its Residential Life staff at peer institutions in the U.S. to support these goals.
Perrotis College will produce global leaders in the areas of agriculture, the environment and other life sciences related to our sustainable future.
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In 2015–2016, the Student Services Center also reorganized the College’s work-study experience to make it more meaningful and to better link the academic program with the world of work and research. We believe that the vision of what Perrotis College will look like in 2025 will generate the excitement and support of the institution’s supporters to help us elevate a good specialized college to a great one, one that through its standards of teaching and research will produce global leaders in the areas of agriculture, the environment and other life sciences related to our sustainable future.
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SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION Adult Education, Extension Services, Center for Agricultural Entrepreneurship
SCHO O L O F PRO FESSI O NAL ED UCAT I O N
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Delivering education and training for nontraditional students is a time-honored aspect of the institution’s mission. With Greece’s prolonged economic crisis resulting in skyrocketing unemployment, these services are more vitally needed than ever. Through the School of Professional Education at the American Farm School, a range of programs are made available for adult education and training — both on and off campus — in areas related to entrepreneurship, production resource management, agriculture, food science, rural tourism, environmental sustainability, new technologies and more. More than 1,000 adults benefitted from these programs in 2015–2016.
The aim is to transmit new knowledge and enhance existing skills for adult learners in order to improve competitiveness in the labor market or in entrepreneurial endeavors, while also improving end-product quality.
Many of these courses result in professional certification. Programs are enriched each year subject to identified market needs and participant interest. The School’s department of Extension Services is a key partner in these efforts to make the Greek agro food sector more competitive. It has delivered professional training for domestic and international companies such as McCain Foods, MelissaKikizas S.A., Tuvunu and many others. In addition to these programs for contract farmers or other staff, the School also provides field research and other consulting services for corporate partners.
The Center for Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship was established at Perrotis College in 2012 to assist entrepreneurs in the agro food sectors to start up or re-strategize their businesses. The Center provides tailored services to individuals and clusters that include technical training, business planning, financial and legal assistance, export advice and more. AFS is one of three academic partners recently selected by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s Recharging the Youth Initiative to identify new opportunities for Greece’s younger generation, which is severely impacted by the country’s high unemployment rate. Following the School’s meaningful contributions in the planning stage, it was invited in 2016 to participate in the ambitious, multi-year project implementation program titled New Agriculture for a New Generation aimed at training, supporting and developing infrastructure for a revitalized economy through food and agriculture. Ultimately, these collaborations not only prepare young people for viable careers, but help contemporize production in the primary sector, promote competitiveness, and spread awareness on sustainable practices.
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HI GH SCHO O L
The American Farm School was founded as a secondary school, making the High School the most historic division on campus.
HIGH SCHOOL
The AFS High School is unique in Greece for its national draw, as well as the fact that it is largely residential, with a vibrant learningliving community focused on applied life sciences. Close to 85% of its students live in campus residence halls and participate in wide-ranging activities and clubs that include science and management projects on the campus Farm, community service, athletics, student government, the arts and more. Its 250 students from communities across Greece choose to enroll in either the General High School or the Vocational High School. In recent years, the General High School has placed a pronounced emphasis on STEAM education, while staying true to its roots in experiential and environmental learning. Students in the Vocational High School benefit from an unparalleled practical training program in agriculture, food science and environmental studies, culminating in a professional specialization certificate in one of three areas: Food Technology and Quality Control, Landscaping and Environment, or Agribusiness. The vocational school curriculum is designed to equip these young men and women either to enter the workforce in family-owned or other businesses, or pursue their education for the agro-food sector. For all students in the AFS High School, developing a scientific habit of mind and acquiring English language proficiency, are central goals. Many of today’s applicants to our High School are considering career possibilities in sectors broadly related to agriculture, including the conservation of natural resources, food quality and security, consumer health, and other disciplines associated with the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. To better prepare these young men and women, the School is investing in new science laboratories and equipment, as well as ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty.
Students from both the General and Vocational High Schools intending to continue their studies, either in Greece or the U.S., are guided through this process with the help of the School’s Student Services Center. Services include college counseling, student life engagement, service learning, afterschool clubs and classes, support for learning differences, and more. Graduates of the Vocational High School, as well as graduates of other high schools in Greece, may enroll in AFS’ one-year, postsecondary program awarding a certificate in Contemporary Agricultural Practices. Initiated two years ago, this experiential program is designed to prepare participants to succeed in primary sector production through mastering knowledge and handson skills in the areas of agrofood operations management.
The American Farm School’s Scholarship Program opens our doors to the brightest, most motivated young men and women from throughout Greece.
An AFS education would be out of reach for the majority of our students without this support. President’s Scholarships are additional merit-based awards to highachieving students entering the High School. They are a way to encourage students with exceptional talent to fulfill their potential at AFS. Now in the planning stage, a new Middle School (Grades 7–9) will be introduced in Fall 2017 to bridge the gap between the Elementary School and High School.
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PRI M ARY D I VI SI O N
PRIMARY DIVISION
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We believe that planting the seeds for environmental consciousness and scientific thinking begins in the earliest years of a child’s education. Our Primary Division, founded in 2011, today comprises a PreK, Kindergarten and growing Elementary School. It is the only primary school in Greece focused on environmental education through experiential learning. The primary division uses the environment as the central, integrated concept to develop students’ understanding of life sciences. It also applies the institution’s Learn by Doing methodology to ensure every student acquires English language fluency and digital literacy. The preschool encourages students in their first steps of exploration and readies them for the learning process. Natural and applied life sciences, as well as English language acquisition, become increasingly important elements of the curriculum in the Elementary School. Students acquire a gradually sophisticated understanding of scientific methodology through active engagement, hands-on experimentation and analysis. All students master age-appropriate skills in technology and related tools that help them understand the world, express themselves, and share their investigations with classmates.
Our innovative programs are implemented by highly experienced teaching staff, and are enhanced through the creative and systematic use of the unique campus environment. The School’s Educational Farm, “Discovery Garden,” and ample outdoor spaces make the AFS primary division a one-of-a-kind learning experience. Extra-curricular activities are an important part of the development process. More than 20 options for afterschool activities are offered — from sports, to science, to language and performing arts. During the 2015-2016 school year, the PreK and Kindergarten programs were fully enrolled, with 105 and 50 students respectively. The Elementary School, established in 2013 with the first Grade 1 class, has since introduced a grade each year and currently enrolls 165 students through Grades 1–4. When it is at full capacity through Grade 6 in 2018, enrollment is projected at 300.
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Our innovative programs are implemented by highly experienced teaching staff, and are enhanced through the creative and systematic use of the unique campus environment.
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PRO FESSI O NAL D EVELO PM ENT
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Recognizing that faculty and staff are the most powerful components in successful learning, the School invests significantly in ongoing professional development.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
During 2015–2016, High School faculty participated in professional development opportunities in the areas of STEAM teaching, differentiated instruction, ESL, and new technologies through the support of U.S. university partners, including the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State University and St. Leo University’s School of Education & Social Services. Teachers also followed subjectspecific differentiated instruction seminars at the local Aristotle University. Other areas of ongoing professional development focus on leadership training for High School administrators, and curriculum and assessment workshops for English language faculty. In the Primary Division, thanks to the support of an Anonymous Foundation for this purpose, 2015–2016 saw the continuation of mentoring and training by education faculty
from U.S. universities, specifically in the areas of differentiated instruction and assistive technology; English as a second language; STEAM teaching; learning differences and more. Additional professional development seminars were organized locally on topics relevant to the curriculum. The foundation’s support also enabled the Director of the Primary Division to travel to the U.S. in Spring 2016 to learn about best practices from faculty at exemplary U.S. schools with a similar focus, and to develop peer partnerships for future collaboration. The American Farm School also shared its expertise on learning differences with educators from throughout Greece when it hosted the 2015 Fall Pan-Hellenic Conference on Dyslexia. The School’s exemplary Arcadia Program for students with learning challenges, supported by the Androus Foundation, was a highlight of the conference.
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THE AMERICAN FARM SCHOOL’S BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS IS A DYNAMIC FUSION OF ITS HISTORIC PAST AND VIBRANT PRESENT
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CAM PUS AND FACI LI T I ES
CAMPUS AND FACILITIES
A green oasis surrounded by a semi-urban environment, it is situated on the eastern edge of Greece’s second largest city of Thessaloniki with a population of over one million. The campus today is a physical manifestation of its bi-national character, engaged learning philosophy, and commitment to sustainable living. The oldest American educational institution in Greece still occupying its original site, the campus has grown over the years from its first 50 acres of 1904, to its current 280 acres serving all academic divisions.
To any visitor, several aspects of the campus stand out: Every corner is a teaching tool for our academic programs related to agriculture, the environment and life sciences — from our edible gardens, to our pomegranate groves, to our waste management facilities.
The campus Farm is a convergence point where theory and practice come together in a physical space. It functions as a living laboratory for real world learning, leadership and applied research projects in a wide range of fields.
The School is a 24/7 collaborative learning community. Unique in Greece, the majority of students in the High School and Perrotis College reside on campus, as do many of its faculty and staff.
Our world-class, active learning facilities demonstrate the commitment of the School’s supporters from throughout Greece and the U.S. Named academic centers, classrooms, gathering spaces, residence halls, walkways, farm buildings and more testify to far-flung network of individuals and organizations that actively support the School’s mission.
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The School has made significant investments in its physical plant in recent years to meet the demands of a growing student body, new academic programs, and the external environment. In planning and implementing these investments, we have focused on balancing mission with available resources.
Described below are the major capital investments made during the 2015–2016 fiscal year. Close to 73% of all 2015–2016 capital expenditures were covered through gifts and grants made for these purposes, while 27% came from endowment income and operations.
Aliki Perroti Educational Center at Perrotis College Through a transformative gift by Perrotis College benefactor Mrs. Aliki Perroti, the College will expand its horizons with a new academic complex to serve the needs of a growing undergraduate and soon-to-be graduate student body. Ground-breaking for this state of the art facility took place in April 2016 and completion is slated for Fall 2017. One of the largest developments ever to be undertaken on campus, the center will be a hub of collaborative learning for students and faculty across disciplines related to agriculture, the environment and other life sciences. Sited near the entrance to campus in a pine wood, the new complex is designed to harmonize with its surroundings and embody the ethical and sustainable practices that characterize our campus. The three-story, 36,000-square-foot facility is comprised of two parallel wings joined by an entrance atrium. Designed by the award-winning architectural firm of Kouloukouris & Associates in Thessaloniki, it will accommodate classrooms, amphitheaters, labs, communal spaces and study areas for 600 undergraduate and 100 graduate level students. In addition to this major new construction, the center will encompass the renovation of an adjoining, pre-existing building named the Seth Frank Hall of Graduate Studies in recognition of the donor whose generosity made this project possible. The renovation of Seth Frank Hall was completed in September 2016.
This integral academic complex will extend Perrotis College’s capacity for research and innovation, while fostering scientific inquiry, creative discovery, and the enterprising execution of ideas.
Thanks to a recent grant from U.S. AID/ASHA, Perrotis College also invested in cutting-edge scientific equipment for its Life Sciences Laboratory in 2015–2016. The equipment will support students’ preparation in the most contemporary techniques related to food product development, production, safety and quality control. Scientific equipment for both the undergraduate and graduate programs at Perrotis College will be funding priorities over the next several years.
CAM PUS AND FACI LI T I ES
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Princeton Hall Princeton Hall is the School’s signature landmark building at the heart of its campus. Built in 1924 of limestone from a local quarry, it was named in honor of the college classmates of the School’s second director, Charles Lucius House, who raised funds for its construction. Last renovated in 1986, the building is now undergoing major new work, to be completed in stages as funds become available. The purpose of the renovation is to meet new institutional needs, bringing together functions that serve across all academic divisions, while also making the building more energy efficient toward improving campus sustainability. Through a generous gift from the Samourkas Foundation, the first stage of the renovation took place in 2014–2015 when part of the ground floor was remodeled to house the Student Services Center. Further support from the Androus Foundation supported the creation of the Arcadia Program Office in the same wing that serves students with learning differences.
During 2015–2016, part of the second level of the building was renovated. This includes the Main Lobby and Reception Area, the President’s Offices, and other administrative offices. Work planned for 2016–2017 includes completion of the administrative offices on the second level; general upgrading of structural elements of the building; and the first phase of the renovation of the Dimitris & Aliki Perroti Library located on the third level. The Library renovation will include the creation of flexible spaces to encourage collaborative learning and research, as well as to accommodate new information technologies and their use. The School is grateful to the Vasilios S. and Aphrodite B. Haseotes Family Foundation, Inc. for the first gift towards the library renovation project.
The purpose of the renovation is to meet new institutional needs, bringing together functions that serve across all academic divisions, while also making the building more energy efficient toward improving campus sustainability.
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Other capital investments of 2015–2016 Where students learn affects how they learn. Thanks to the gifts of friends and supporters, the School invested in needed new classroom furnishings, instructional materials and laboratory equipment for our primary and secondary divisions during 2015–2016. Other capital allocations focused on information technology needs. As research efforts on campus move toward a more data-centric and computational model, our IT demands are projected to grow as we prepare our graduates to compete in a hyper-connected job market in a thoroughly digital world.
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T HE FARM
THE FARM Nurturing innovation — from the ground up
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The School’s diversified education and research farm is a living laboratory for students of all ages. Since the School’s founding, the Farm has provided students with hands-on experiences that amplify academic learning, bridge disciplines, and spark science-driven innovation. Managed as part of an integrated agroecosystem, the campus Farm aims to demonstrate sustainable farming methods that are economically viable, socially responsible and ecologically sound. Comprising livestock, horticulture and food processing operations, the Farm’s purpose is educational. Its premium products sold on the open market is just one aspect of the training it provides. Student engagement in production, project management and new product development provides invaluable, real-world learning, while sales support the School’s extensive scholarship program.
The Farm also provides an invaluable platform for relevant research that strengthens the region’s economic competitiveness. Perrotis College students and faculty contribute to this effort through wide-ranging applied research projects. The launch of the Perrotis College Graduate School in 2017 will multiply research opportunities and the transfer of new knowledge to the agro-food sector. Since the School’s founding, the Farm has also served as a training and demonstration center for producers, agro-food businesses, university students from the region and beyond, and agricultural educators applying our hands-on pedagogy.
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Dairy
Poultry
Our state-of-the-art educational dairy processes milk from the School’s own 120 milking cows. The herd also includes approximately 100 growing replacement animals. Under the School’s direct supervision, fresh milk from select AFS graduate farms is also pasteurized and bottled in the campus dairy. The Farm today produces a total annual yield of 1.5 million liters of whole and light fresh milk, prized as the best in Greece.
The School’s poultry division introduced the Omega 3 egg to Greece in 1997 in partnership with Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University and other international veterinary and food experts. Today, the Farm’s 25,000 egg-layers annually produce an average of 5.5 million Omega 3 eggs for commercial sale. Renowned for the quality of its hens, the School’s Hatchery annually supplies local farmers and rural egg producers with 150,000 day-old chicks to develop their own businesses.
Farm fresh milk is a key ingredient in the traditional pasta products (hilopites and trahanas) introduced in 2011, along with our own eggs and durum wheat. Cow’s milk yogurt was added to the AFS dairy line in 2012. Aimed at strengthening hands-on education and training programs that will result in greater employment opportunities for the School’s graduates and trainees, the School invested in new, state-of-the-art cheesemaking equipment in 2015-2016 through a grant from U.S. AID/ASHA for this purpose. The School will soon produce two kinds of hard cheese that will be sold on the open market in 2017. Within the context of new education and training programs, the equipment will allow students and trainees to learn cheese-making under real world conditions, and so be better prepared to enter the dairy industry as producers, technicians, or food scientists. The equipment gives producers the necessary control at all stages of the production process in compliance with the strictest environmental standards, and in harmony with national and European environmental legislation. Dairy science is just one area benefitting from a long line of agricultural innovations introduced by AFS throughout its history. The School produced Greece’s first pasteurized cow’s milk in 1935 by building the country’s original milk pasteurizing and bottling plant. Applying U.S. dairy breeding and herd management practices over the years, the School’s Holstein Friesen herd is today ranked among the top 10% in the world.
The same flaxseed that is fed to our hens, and that results in eggs with the high levels of the Omega 3 fatty acid proved to promote cardiovascular health, is also in the diet of the 42,000 American Farm School turkeys sold annually, both whole and fresh, as well as in delicatessen cuts.
High School students raise and harvest some 2,000 broiler chickens annually for local consumption. The School’s campus feed mill prepares desired formulas for the both the poultry and dairy livestock. The Charles Storrs Barrows Meat Science and Food Safety Laboratory was built on the campus Farm in 2014. The only handson educational facility of its kind in Greece, it supports teaching and applied research in poultry meats. In addition to its harvesting facilities and processing laboratories, it also provides opportunities for teaching food product safety and quality control testing.
T HE FARM
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Horticulture & more
Community Outreach
The Farm at a glance
Other living labs on the Farm include the campus olive groves and vineyard, fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, aromatic plant cultivations, greenhouses, legume fields, snail farm and more. Olive oil is pressed and tested for quality control in the campus Krinos Olive Center. Thousands of liters of wine, including the indigenous northern Greek varietal, xinomavro, are bottled in the campus winery each year, as is the traditional pomace brandy known as tsipouro. Students keep bees and produce honey. Perrotis College students manage the campus store that provides Farm products to the campus and local community while giving students management and retail business experience.
Besides serving students enrolled in the School’s own primary, secondary and Perrotis College divisions — as well as providing an introduction to agriculture and sustainable food systems to more than 16,000 visiting schoolchildren in 2015–2016 — the Farm acts as a center for demonstration, training and research for adult learners.
COWS & CALVES
The School’s satellite Zannas Farm, 30 miles west of campus on the Axios River, provides an additional 210 acres of land for field crops, animal feed, as well as opportunities for field trials and other applied research projects undertaken with the School’s extensive network of academic and business partners.
Farm to Fork
Together with faculty members dedicated to their students’ success, the Farm offers a powerful combination of handson experiences and applied research opportunities that lead our graduates and trainees to fulfilling careers and professional accomplishment.
The majority of students in our high school and Perrotis College live on campus and the Farm’s fresh vegetables, milk, eggs, poultry meats and other products supply the Campus Dining Hall serving day and residential students, as well as thousands of visitors each year.
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TURKEYS
42,000
LAYING HENS
22,000
BROILER HENS
DAY-OLD CHICKS
2,000
150,000
LITERS OF FRESH MILK (WHOLE & LIGHT) PRODUCED
1,500,000
OMEGA 3 EGGS PRODUCED
5,500,000
FARMERS TRAINED (ON & OFF CAMPUS)
CAMPUS OLIVE TREES
VISITING SCHOOLCHILDREN
920
1,000
16,000
REAL-WORLD LEARNING O IN 360 CLASSROOMS
FI NANCI AL RESULTS
FINANCIAL RESULTS
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The American Farm School closed its 2016 fiscal year in a solid financial position — a remarkable accomplishment given the severe challenges of the Greek economy. Since 2009, the country has been mired in a deep recession, said to be the most difficult of any developed economy in peacetime. Constant changes and fluctuations across the economic landscape have led to deteriorating living conditions and an eviscerated middle class.
The School is meeting the challenges of the economy head-on — through a combination of conservative budgeting and careful dayto-day management, backed by a long-term strategy focused on investment in quality academic offerings and diversification of revenue sources.
Through the graduated expansion of academic levels, and by continuing to raise philanthropic funds towards the highest-impact expenditures (including professional development, scientific equipment, new technologies and needed facilities), the School is poised for sustainable growth over the long term. In FY 2016 the School’s operations generated a net operating gain of $825 thousand, while total net assets increased to $54.2 million in comparison with $53.9 million in FY 2015. Operating revenues were $15.9 million, with tuition and fees accounting for nearly 34% of revenues, income from the educational farm contributing 31%, and 24% coming from gifts and grants from private sources. Government grants contributed an additional 6%, while a little more than 3% was generated by income from the School’s $26.8 million endowment.
Since 2010, the School has made rigorous efforts to slow expense growth and eliminate non-essential spending, while prudently investing in areas that make the most significant differences in the quality of academics and student life. The School has also exerted discipline in capping administrative costs; in FY 2016, these were just 11% of the total budget compared to costs of program and campus services of 86%. Although the School’s substantial scholarship program continues to provide accessibility to academically deserving and motivated students whose families are facing the hardships of the prolonged economic downturn, financial aid policies and practices have been adjusted in recent years to bring scholarship assistance to a more sustainable level. Overall, campus operating expenses increased by 8%, driven mainly by the investment of additional resources in academic services and support as described above. Total expenses decreased by 2% in FY 2016 over the previous year, from $15.5 million to $15.1 million. This change is primarily attributed to variations in USD/EUR parity. The functional currency of the School is the euro, while endowment income and a substantial part of gift revenue is in dollars. Any fluctuation in the exchange rate has an impact on the School’s financial statements and net assets valuation.
XI
FI NANCI AL RESULTS
Operating Revenues
Operating Expenses
TOTA REVENUES
$ 15,911,051
TUITION & FEES
$ 5,341,890
SALES OF FARM PRODUCTS
$ 4,902,635
GIFTS
$ 3,793,983
E.U. & USAID–ASHA GRANTS
TOTAL EXPENSES
100%
$ 15,086,844
EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION
43%
$ 6,526,773
EDUCATIONAL FARM
25%
$ 3,787,840
ADMINISTRATIVE & GENERAL MANAGEMENT
11%
$ 1,621,162
CAMPUS BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
9%
$ 1,290,714
DEPRECIATION
7%
$ 987,318
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT
6%
$ 873,037
$ 1,004,056
ENDOWMENT INCOME
$ 545,086
OTHER 2%
$ 323,401
3%
6%
24%
31%
34%
100%
Consolidated Statement of Activity Year ended June 2016
XI
FI NANCI AL RESULTS
Institutional Endowment
AFS GENERAL $ 16,481,428 61%
Consolidated Statement Of Financial Position in thousand $ 2016
2015
TOTAL ASSETS
60,040
60,241
LIABILITIES
—5,839
—6,308
—39,414
—40,131
NET ASSETS
UNRESTRICTED
TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED
—5,223
—4,328
PERMANENTLY RESTRICTED
—9,564
—9,474
—60,040
—60,241
2016
2015
OPERATING REVENUES
15,911
14,533
OPERATING EXPENSES
—15,086
—15,453
825
—920
—338
44
487
—876
53,933
60,953
—219
—6,144
54,201
53,933
2016
2015
REVENUES AND EXPENSES
0.90: 1
0.83: 1
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
0.90: 1
0.90: 1
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
PERROTIS COLLEGE 10,322,564 39%
Consolidated Statement Of Activities in thousand $
NET OPERATING SURPLUS/DEFICIT
NON—OPERATING REVENUES/LOSSES
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS
NET ASSETS AS OF BEGINNING OF YEAR FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT TOTAL $ 26,803,992 100%
Endowment as of June 30, 2016
NET ASSETS AS OF END OF YEAR
*Foreign Currency translation EURO/USD
X II
GOVERNANCE
GOVERNANCE
The American Farm School is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of volunteer leaders from Greece and the U.S. who provide financial oversight, ensure adequate resources, ensure legal and ethical integrity, and maintain accountability for the School’s operations. The School is a private, not-for-profit organization as described in section 501 (c) 3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and registered in the State of New York.
Gifts to the School, made by private donors in the U.S., Greece and throughout the world, are critical to help support operations, the Scholarship Program, capital projects, program development and more. The Board ensures that private gifts are used in support of the School’s mission.
Board of Trustees, 2015–2016 CHAIRMAN Robert W. Uek VICE CHAIRMEN David G. Acker Pantelis Panteliades William A. Tsacalis SECRETARY Sharon W. Vaino TREASURER Constantine N. Darras TRUSTEES Deborah Androus John H. Cleave John R. Crunkilton Joannie C. Danielides Christos S. Folias Seth E. Frank Constantinos Hadjiyannakis Sophia S. Hartch Barbara K. Heming Truda C. Jewett Vicki Kyriakos Annie Levis John C. Lycouris Frances Manthos Thanassis Martinos George Milonas Daniel M. Morgan Elaine K. Nelson Anastasia Pappas Nikolaos Pentzos Joel S. Post William L. Richter
Manita S. Scocimara Susan L. Stupin Theodora Valentis Panayiotis Yatagantzidis HONORARY TRUSTEES Antonis Anezinis Charlotte P. Armstrong Sheila Baird Peter Bien Stavros Constantinides Phillip G. Foote Dimitri Gondicas Edmund Keeley Mary R. Lowrey Aliki Perroti George B. Post Gail D. Schoppert Judson R. Shaver Charles L. Thomas, Jr.
The American Farm School extends its deepest gratitude to our 2015–2016 board members and welcomes incoming members from the Fall of 2016: Kim Dooley, Thymis Efthymiadis Perry Gotsis, Stefanos Panteliadis
Greece Marinou Antipa 54, P.O. Box 23, 551 02, Thessaloniki T +30 2310 492 700, F +30 2310 492 710 U.S.A. 1133 Broadway, Suite 1226, New York, NY 10010 T +1 212 463 8434, F +1 212 463 8208 E info@afs.edu.gr www.afs.edu.gr