Embrace Possibility
The Campaign for Ravenscroft SPRING 2015
CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Welcome to the first Embrace Possibility Campaign Update
INSIDE
2 A conversation with two of our campaign co-chairs
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Goals of the campaign
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Understanding endowment
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On the ground: Honors Engineering
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Did you know?
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Campaign Leadership
This is the inaugural issue in a series of regular publications that will keep you—our earliest and most committed supporters of Embrace Possibility—up to date on the progress and impact of the campaign. The word possibility holds so much promise—for our children, our school community, our society. But it doesn’t stop there. If you believe, as I do, that the seeds of leadership reside in every single child, then you know we are obliged to provide the nourishment and tools necessary to cultivate them. Our children are the citizen leaders of the future, and within them lies the power—the possibility—to change the world for the better. Embracing possibility means ensuring that we can sustain and expand our ability to nurture those seeds of leadership and change. We must offer students the best trained teachers, the most innovative curricula, the most comprehensive support, and the widest possible access to a Ravenscroft education. Your generosity is turning wonderful possibilities into certainties. We cannot begin to convey the depth of our gratitude! Thank you,
Doreen C. Kelly Head of School P.S. I would love to meet with you in person to share my excitement—and answer your questions—about the Embrace Possibility campaign. Please call 919.847.0900 to schedule a time to come in for coffee and conversation.
A conversation with …
Two of our Campaign Co-Chairs Update is delighted to introduce you to two couples—members of our dedicated parent/alumni community—who have volunteered to co-chair the Embrace Possibility campaign. In this issue, we chat with Easter Maynard ’89 and John Parker. Our next issue will feature a conversation with co-chairs Jenny and Charles Winston ’78.
How are you connected to the Ravenscroft community? EASTER: We have three children enrolled at the
school—our daughter Lila is a fifth grader. James is in third grade and Sawyer is in first. And I’m an alumna—Class of ’89. I’ve been on the Board of Trustees since 2012. John is a Lead From Here Parent Advocate. Why did you decide to take on the challenge of co-chairing the Campaign? EASTER: There are lots of reasons, starting with
the Lead From Here initiative. We both have experience with CCL (Center for Creative Leadership) from past work. The kind of leadership training and education that CCL and Ravenscroft are creating together is crucial to creating reflective, connected human beings. We are so excited about that as an opportunity for the kids. John: CCL is a global leadership development company that works with executive education around the globe—and its roots are here in North Carolina. CCL’s interest in tailoring their work to 2
a pre-kindergarten through 12 curriculum is fascinating to me, because everybody who goes through a leadership development program says, “Hey, I wish I had this when I was younger.” The school is partnering with CCL to do just that. EASTER: Layer on top of that the idea of expanding access to a Ravenscroft education through financial aid, and it makes the Campaign even more important, because all the students will benefit so much from getting to know people from lots of different backgrounds, as opposed to all coming from a similar pool. Why is this Campaign so important? And why is it urgent that it happen now? JOHN: It’s important because it’s about people—
the heart of the school. Through curriculum and professional development, expanded access, and increased support for every child who needs it— regardless of background—this campaign comprehensively addresses the needs of the students and the faculty. And by growing endowment as well as annual budget support, it will build a foundation for the long term.
“Ravenscroft has always prided itself on exceptional academics. That’s great, but we can’t continue to use the same style of education to prepare kids to face this changing world.”
EASTER: Ravenscroft has always prided itself on being an exceptional academic environment. That’s great, but it’s just not enough any more— there are some exceptional academic environments in our community. The world is changing so fast that most of us adults aren’t even able to keep up with it anymore. We can’t continue to use the same style of education to prepare kids to face this changing world. There’s more complexity because of the increased global interconnectedness. So more complexity must be addressed in the K–12 experience as well. JOHN: It’s urgent, because we’re already behind as a society. If we believe our kids are the leaders of the future—we need to act like it and do the work to get out ahead of the changes.
Why is it critical for every member of the Ravenscroft community to support this Campaign? JOHN: There are all kinds of leadership—and
giving to this Campaign is one way to demonstrate leadership and participation. Honestly, everybody should be giving regardless of the amount. If we believe leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, then giving should as well. EASTER: We’re all in this together—as a school, a society, a community. And we have to work together for the future we want to see. JOHN: The future is now. Let’s make sure we’re ready for it!
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Embrace Possibility:
Goals of the Campaign through June 2018
$7m
$.5m
LEAD FROM HERE
SUCCEED HERE
Start-up & endowment for a new model of academic and citizen leadership education
Endowment for innovative programs & services to ensure the success of every Ravenscroft student
$2.5m BELONG HERE
$5m
ANNUAL FUND
Endowment for financial aid to increase access & socioeconomic diversity
Annual giving to support operating expenses: $1 million for each of 5 years
$15m
EMBRACE POSSIBILITY CAMPAIGN TOTAL The campaign is currently at 25% of our goal.
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Demystifying campaign jargon:
Understanding Endowment The Embrace Possibility campaign seeks to raise money for two types of funding: endowment, which is invested today to provide support into the future; and annual support (sometimes referred to as annual giving) which is expended in the upcoming year. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about endowment. (A future Update will discuss annual support). What exactly are endowed funds? Endowment funds are enduring assets, like buildings
Why should I consider supporting Ravenscroft’s endowment funds? Donating
and property. Gifts to endowment are invested as
to our endowment funds puts your money to work
principal. The interest income generated is used to
for a cause you believe in. And because they exist
support designated programs on an ongoing basis.
in perpetuity, your donation will touch many lives over time.
Why do we need endowments?
financial aid are expensive. If we raised tuition
How often will I be asked to donate to Ravenscroft’s endowment funds during this campaign? Once you have made your three
enough to cover the costs, the burden to our families
to five-year pledge, you will not be asked to donate
would be overwhelming. Endowment funds provide
again for the duration of the campaign.
New educational programs, professional development for faculty, and expanding access through
a continuous, alternative source of revenue.
Who benefits from endowment funds?
How can I learn more about the endowment funds—and how I can support them?
Every student, faculty member, and staff member at
Call Phil Higginson, Assistant Head of School for
Ravenscroft receives support from the endowment.
Institutional Advancement at 919.847.0900 x2232.
Who manages the endowment funds? Ravenscroft’s endowment funds are invested and managed by First Citizens Bank. They are reviewed quarterly by the Investment Committee of the Ravenscroft Board of Trustees.
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Embrace Possibility: On the Ground
Lead From Here in Honors Engineering Engineering has always required visionary thinking, strategic planning, resourcefulness, communication, collaboration, reflective analysis, resilience, and a willingness to make adaptive changes. The Lead From Here professional development training that Nelson Nunalee, science instructor, experienced recently has inspired him to find new ways to highlight and teach the importance of these skills. “The Changing Your World competencies—visionary, strategic, resourceful, reflective, adaptive—are a pretty good summary of the engineering design process,” he explains. Dr. Nunalee’s Honors Engineering class uses Ravenscroft’s new 3D printer (a gift from Otto
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Kumbar and his wife, teacher assistant Sue Whitehouse—donors and alumni parents) as the essential tool in a real-world engineering experience—while learning lessons in leadership at the same time. The students work in collaborative teams to design, model and “print” a variety of objects of their choosing. These objects are as wide-ranging as the students’ imaginations, and have included a robot’s head, an iPhone case, an artificial hand, and a scale model of the Ravenscroft bell tower.
Kathleen, Morgan and Johnny, members of a team that is creating a mechanical hand using a 3D printer, show off their plans— including the fingers that will be attached with joints that bend like real fingers. FAR LEFT
Kathleen and Morgan make adjustments to the software program that controls the 3D printer. MIDDLE
Close-up of mechanical fingers RIGHT
Learning to think differently Once the students settle on an idea, they need to think through all the details of the design—in three dimensions. “When you start making things in 3D, you have to look at them differently. It can be very abstract,” says Dr. Nunalee. “One of the biggest challenges is working out dimensions and figuring out how every different part will work together. We overcome this by creating multiple sketches, paper models and even 3D joints that we print at a smaller scale in order to assess how well they work and make adjustments as necessary,” says Kathleen a senior in the class. Her team is creating a mechanical hand that bends at the joints to pick up objects, just like real fingers. Kathleen’s comment demonstrates how the process requires Lead From Here competencies— and provides practical experiences to show how important these competencies are for success. Without visionary and strategic thinking, reflective analysis, and adaptive modifications—their mechanical hand would never become a reality.
An opportunity for students to discover their strengths One of the exciting features of this project is that it calls for a wide range of leadership skills, giving every student the ability to stand out. “Each student has strengths in different areas. Some students are more creative and visionary, but may not be great at executing or building. Some students are great at building, but need help with the initial idea. Each student experiences an opportunity to shine, to make a difference,” says Dr. Nunalee. Perhaps most important, this project offers an intellectual challenge while giving kids a real world experience that helps prepare them for college and professional life. “I am looking into biomedical engineering as my major in college, and this project has given me an experience like those I will have in college. And it has further increased my love for science and biomedical engineering!” says Kathleen. Kathleen and her classmates in Honors Engineering are ready for the future!
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Did you know?
Ravenscroft is partnering with the Center
So far, 27% of our faculty and staff have
for Creative Leadership (CCL), a top-ranked,
attended two-day training workshops onsite at
global provider of executive education,
CCL in Greensboro, to learn to put the principles
to develop the innovative leadership and
of Lead From Here into practice on campus. We
academic education program, Lead From Here.
plan to reach 100%.
“I learned that working with others makes the work easier and it is good working with others because it can make their day and make your day too!” ANDY, SECOND GRADER
Several days each week, two professional
In 2013–2014, 15% of our students received
trainers from CCL are on campus at
financial aid, enabling their access to one
Ravenscroft, working with students and
of the finest pre-kindergarten through 12
faculty to facilitate the implementation of
institutions in the nation.
Lead From Here.
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Thank you to our Campaign Chairs and Trustees for your support and participation. All of you have made generous financial contributions to Embrace Possibility. You are truly helping us change the world!
HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mrs. Iren U. Hianik
Mr. and Mrs. O. Temple Sloan III
2014–2015
Dr. Kevin L. Keim
Dr. (’38) and Mrs. V. W. Pugh Jr.
Mr. Charles M. Winston Jr. ’78, Chair
Ms. Easter A. Maynard ’89
Mrs. Frances P. Pugh, Vice Chair
Mrs. Mary M. Moss
CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS
Mr. Thomas H. Mann, Treasurer
Mr. John E. Parham Jr. ’84
Ms. Easter A. Maynard ’89 and
Mrs. Caryn C. McNeill, Secretary
Mrs. Donna P. Preiss
Mr. John Parker Mrs. Jenny Winston and Mr. Charles Winston ’78
Mr. O. Temple Sloan III ’79 Mrs. Renee C. Allain-Stockton
Mr. Dewayne N. Washington
Mr. Kevin T. Anderson ’82
Mr. Robert G. Wright
Mr. Sterling R. Baker
Mr. James P. Ziperski
Mr. Robert G. Beller Mr. Santo J. Costa Mrs. Wynn G. Dorsett ’78
“If someone is counting on you, you should do what they ask so they won’t have to second guess you and wonder if you’re going to do it. You just have to be accountable in life.” KENNEDY, FIFTH GRADER
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Call 919.870.0900 to schedule a time for a chat with one of our Co-Chairs or with Head of School Doreen Kelly. Or drop by Richards Hall and let us know that you’d like to see us!
about the Embrace Possibility campaign and answer all of your questions.
We’d love to tell you more
You’re Invited! 7409 Falls of Neuse Road
Raleigh, NC 27615