Since
in 2018, the Head’s Fund for Innovation (HFI) has raised nearly $200,000 in support of promising new ideas, coursework, and innovative programs at Pingree School. These resources have strengthened the vibrant culture of forward-thinking programming and change that continues to strengthen the Pingree experience.
A newly-created position seed-funded by HFI, the sustainability education coordinator will help organize and support the educational vision for Sustainability at Pingree. In collaboration with the Science department, the coordinator will determine areas for focus and progress aligned with the 2018 Pingree Sustainability Report. Among the responsibilities of this role will be to map curriculum by department and program that highlights areas of strength and identifies potential areas of growth, to formalize structure and vision for Green Team as part of the larger plan for student engagement in sustainability, and to support campus initiatives and culture that embraces and promotes environmental consciousness and stewardship.
HFI funds were used to purchase Hudl Focus, two auto-tracking cameras that allow Pingree to automatically record, upload, and livestream athletics games. The Hudl suite of products supports Pingree’s athletic teams at every level of play as well as provide a critical resource for individual student-athletes who aspire to play collegiate athletics.
How many high school students get to say they spent a day with a guardian of the galaxy? HFI helped support Dr. Moogega Cooper’s visit to Pingree’s campus. Dr. Cooper is the lead planetary protection engineer for NASA’s Mars 2020 mission and inspired our community to think and act with imagination and purpose during this year’s commemorative Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Engagement. Led by Pingree faculty Zara Spooner and Hannah Liu, and facilitated by many students and colleagues, the community-wide event focused on the theme “Blueprinting A Just Future.” Centered on fueling positive change using imagination and curiosity, Dr. Cooper shared her personal journey as a woman in STEM as well as how her work as a planetary protection engineer connects to our ongoing efforts to build a just and equitable world. Following her presentation, there were more than 150 students waiting in line to connect with Dr. Cooper, which is always a sure sign of engagement!
HFI helped support Jason Reynolds’ visit to campus this fall. Jason is a #1 New York Timesbestselling author and the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. He has authored several books for young people, including All-American Boys and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, Pingree’s community reads in 2016 and 2021, respectively.
Jason received a standing ovation for his captivating and uplifting assembly, where he shared how high school informed his identity as a writer, why he said “no” to writing Stamped many times before saying “yes,” and what he believes is the most important message in Stamped. While inspiring hope for an antiracist future, Jason shined light on insidious forms of racist ideas and the ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.
As the Pingree community navigated the array of challenges and isolation over the last few years, HFI helped further support creative campus connections, school spirit, and goodwill throughout an unprecedented time. From food and ice cream trucks on campus to special deliveries at home, HFI provided additional resources to support our unwavering commitment to community and foster connection, relationships, and joy for our students, faculty, and staff during unsettling times. As we reflect on the last few years, we remain inspired by the partnership, sacrifice, and innovative spirit of the entire community which felt uniquely Pingree.
