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COURAGE: THE CAMPAIGN FOR EPISCOPAL
Always advancing our mission to prepare young people with the intellectual and moral courage to pursue lives of leadership and service, Episcopal High School is evolving with the world around us and within an educational landscape that demands distinction. Positioned to deliver an educational journey that no other school can, Episcopal publicly launched COURAGE: THE CAMPAIGN FOR EPISCOPAL in November 2022.
WHAT IS COURAGE?
Hear from students, alumni, faculty, and school leadership in their own words.
THERE ARE THREE SIMPLE WAYS TO JOIN EPISCOPAL’S HISTORIC CAMPAIGN WITH YOUR GIFT OR PLEDGE SUPPORTING COURAGE.
ROLL CALL First and foremost, commit to supporting Episcopal’s annual fund, the Roll Call, by setting up a monthly recurring gift, committing to a five-year pledge, or making an increased one-time gift today.
CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES Make a pledge to support one of the School’s strategic priorities or an unrestricted donation that can be used in the area of greatest need.
LEGACY Secure the School’s future by including Episcopal in your estate plans, such as through your will or living trust, or by making EHS a beneficiary in your retirement plan.
Supporting priorities set forth in the 2018 Strategic Plan, COURAGE is a $150 million campaign — the most ambitious in Episcopal’s 184-year history.
This is a defining moment for The High School. Our bold plans are only possible with equally bold support from our community. Our thanks to all the donors who have joined this historic effort to date!
DONORS: 717 | PARENT (CURRENT & PAST): 210 | ALUMNI: 406 | FOUNDATIONS: 19
PERSPECTIVES ON COURAGE
JENNER WOOD III ’70 P’06, CHAIR, ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE EHS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
On a cold, rainy day in September 1966 I was dropped off on The Holy Hill where I didn’t know a soul. But I quickly realized that this is a wonderful, caring, and supportive community. It was then, and it is now, and the friends I made then are still my friends today. My hope is that more young people have the opportunity to discover the power of the Episcopal experience.
I believe that courage starts with the Honor Code at Episcopal. You need a strong character to be willing not to lie, cheat, or steal, and to report the person who does. The courage you learn through the Honor Code, and through life at Episcopal, sets you on the path to do the right thing. That has always been important, but it is more important today than ever. And The High School has a role to play in developing ethical leaders for tomorrow. With the COURAGE CAMPAIGN , we will take advantage of all that Episcopal has to offer, and our first priority will always be integrity — the willingness to do the right thing for yourself, for your fellow students, and for the community in which you live.
With COURAGE , we have the opportunity to really set the school apart with a robust addition to the endowment in support of financial aid. It is important that the families who want to come here and who deserve to be here, but just cannot make the numbers add up, are given the opportunity. This is not only a benefit to these families, it strengthens the whole school when we are able to bring together the best and the brightest students from many different backgrounds and life experiences. This is why I am proud to have endowed the E. Jenner Wood III ’70 Family Scholarship Fund as part of my philanthropic support of the COURAGE CAMPAIGN
I hope every member of our community will join me in support of COURAGE . Your gift to the endowment will grow over time and provide ongoing funding for the School, year after year. By supporting our financial aid program you are helping Episcopal develop and guide more future leaders. With COURAGE , we will…
I have loved every minute of my experience at The High School, and I wouldn’t change anything about it. I am so thankful for my scholarship and all the wonderful opportunities it has brought me. I plan on taking full advantage of my time here at Episcopal and learning the most that I can. There is no place I would rather call home and no people I would rather call my second family. For that, I am forever grateful. -CLASS OF 2026 STUDENT
FINANCIAL AID BY THE NUMBERS
$45mm GOAL FOR ENDOWMENT RESTRICTED TO FINANCIAL AID
$22.6mm RAISED TO DATE (as of October 2023)
$51,958 AVERAGE FINANCIAL AID AWARD FOR 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
160 STUDENTS RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID FOR 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
A FAMILY COMMITMENT
The children and grandchildren of Alicia and Carl Ragsdale ’58 came together to create and name a scholarship fund in their honor, recognizing their lifelong support of EHS.
Education is something no one can ever take away from you, and so my parents were always huge proponents of investing in education. - ALICIA RAGSDALE ALFORD P’11 ’13 ’17
CELEBRATING OUR NEWEST SPACES
The deButts Health & Wellness Center opened its doors in March 2023. At the community ribbon cutting, Head of School Charley Stillwell told students, “I hope you all understand that this new facility represents that, for us, there is nothing more important at Episcopal than the health and well-being of all of you. I think that approaching health and wellness at a foundational level starts first and foremost with being in a community where we care for and support each other in all different ways.”
“The students love the new deButts Health & Wellness Center! They now have a bright and comfortable place they can come to when ill or just needing to talk, as well as a place they can quietly study and enjoy health and wellness programming. It’s a place they want to come to and one that offers something for every student on campus. – DR. KATIE HUMPHRIES, MEDICAL DIRECTOR
See how COURAGE is helping EHS create opportunities for students and faculty to thrive through an intentional and inspirational balance of ambitious pursuits and healthy lifestyles.
THE J.W. COUCH COUNSELING CENTER
With a generous grant from The J.W. Couch Foundation, the center is named in memory of Jesse W. Couch ’40 in recognition of the dedication and generosity to Episcopal he exhibited throughout his lifetime.
INMAN FAMILY CONFERENCE ROOM
Named with a commitment from the Inman family and given in tribute to their EHS experience by Edward H. Inman ’68, Samuel Walker Inman ’99, Susanne Inman Frayser ’02, Caroline Inman Dyson ’03.
BLAKE TERRACE & THE HENRY E. BLAKE ’57 NURSES STATION
Honoring the School’s focus on support of student wellness, these spaces were named with a commitment from Caroline Blake Faris and Stephen G. Faris and their children Philip ’13, Stephen ’16, and Juliet ’19, in memory of their father and grandfather Henry E. Blake ’57.
