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Darlington kicks off Second Century Campaign in Rome
Mar 5, 2008 10:29 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
School officials announced Tuesday that Darlington is embarking on the most ambitious capital campaign in its history. With 57 percent already raised for the Second Century Campaign, the school is well on its way to reaching its $90 million goal over the next five years.
“This campaign will solidify Darlington’s future for another century and beyond,” said Headmaster Tom Whitworth. “It will provide for the most important needs of our students and our faculty, today and tomorrow. It will upgrade our campus facilities, and it will ensure the health of our institution by increasing our endowment. It will usher in a new era for the school. And with the support of us all – Darlington’s alumni, students, faculty, family, friends and extended community – it will transform the future of this venerable institution.”
Under the joint leadership of trustees Jere Drummond (’57) and George Johnson (’54), campaign co-chairmen, the Second Century Campaign will focus on several areas of need based on the school’s strategic plan which was approved in 2006. These include a new Middle School facility, technology and equipment, endowment for the Learning Center, faculty support endowment, improvements to boys’ houses, campus buildings and maintenance, financial aid endowment, annual giving and planned gifts.
“Both George and I feel privileged to have this opportunity to give back to Darlington,” Drummond said. “For us both, Darlington was a seminal life experience. We entered the gates of this campus in the 1950s, and we left transformed because of the investment of teachers, mentors and friends we encountered during our time as students. We graduated from Darlington with educations that prepared us well for college, values that have successfully guided us through our careers, and friendships that have lasted our lifetimes. The Second Century Campaign will make it possible for future generations of young men and women to benefit from the same experience.”
Trustees, faculty, alumni and parents came out in numbers for the campaign kickoff event March 4 at the A.J. Huffman ’67 Memorial Athletic Center. During the program, Board Chairman John Irby (’81) presented Whitworth with a symbolic check for $34,991,616 from the Board of Trustees to be allocated among several different campaign areas. Vice-chairman Frank Stegall (’62) also spoke about the new Middle School facility, the earliest campaign priority. In order to break ground in June 2008, all funding for the new building must be raised by May 1. Otherwise, the project will have to be pushed back.
“Built in 1962, the current facility was built to accommodate less than 175 students in relatively small classrooms, connected by narrow hallways, with no area large enough for the entire student body to gather together,” Stegall said. “As Darlington’s enrollment has grown, the Middle School has taken on as many as 200 students in grades 6-8, resulting in even greater space constraints. In order to remain competitive with our peer institutions, and to provide the best possible learning environment for our students, a new facility must be constructed.
“With our new Middle School, students will no longer have to walk across campus to use many of the Upper School’s amenities – they will have their own wireless state-of-the-art library/media center, commons area, band room, music instruction area and spacious cafeteria for school-wide assemblies,” Stegall continued. “In addition, I am proud to say that this innovative building will be highly energy efficient and in harmony with the natural environment. To date, we have raised 67 percent of the funding for this $21 million project. Now we need folks from the surrounding counties, who will benefit most from this facility, to come forward and help make it a reality.”
Darlington School will host two Second Century Campaign informational sessions this month. The first will be held March 6 at 8:15 a.m. in Tiger Hall at the Lower School. The second is March 11 at 6 p.m. in the Art Room at the Middle School. School administrators and the campaign team will be on hand to answer questions.
“The remarkable support from the Board of Trustees and the rest of the Darlington community thus far has given the campaign great momentum and a foundation for success,” Drummond said. “The goals we have set are ambitious, yet we look forward to this opportunity to stretch ourselves, to demonstrate our dedication to Darlington, to make our vision a reality. The future is in sight. Our Second Century Campaign will take us there.”
For more information about the Second Century Campaign or to learn how to make a contribution, please call us toll free at 866.534.1905.
“This campaign will solidify Darlington’s future for another century and beyond,” said Headmaster Tom Whitworth. “It will provide for the most important needs of our students and our faculty, today and tomorrow. It will upgrade our campus facilities, and it will ensure the health of our institution by increasing our endowment. It will usher in a new era for the school. And with the support of us all – Darlington’s alumni, students, faculty, family, friends and extended community – it will transform the future of this venerable institution.”
Under the joint leadership of trustees Jere Drummond (’57) and George Johnson (’54), campaign co-chairmen, the Second Century Campaign will focus on several areas of need based on the school’s strategic plan which was approved in 2006. These include a new Middle School facility, technology and equipment, endowment for the Learning Center, faculty support endowment, improvements to boys’ houses, campus buildings and maintenance, financial aid endowment, annual giving and planned gifts.
“Both George and I feel privileged to have this opportunity to give back to Darlington,” Drummond said. “For us both, Darlington was a seminal life experience. We entered the gates of this campus in the 1950s, and we left transformed because of the investment of teachers, mentors and friends we encountered during our time as students. We graduated from Darlington with educations that prepared us well for college, values that have successfully guided us through our careers, and friendships that have lasted our lifetimes. The Second Century Campaign will make it possible for future generations of young men and women to benefit from the same experience.”
Trustees, faculty, alumni and parents came out in numbers for the campaign kickoff event March 4 at the A.J. Huffman ’67 Memorial Athletic Center. During the program, Board Chairman John Irby (’81) presented Whitworth with a symbolic check for $34,991,616 from the Board of Trustees to be allocated among several different campaign areas. Vice-chairman Frank Stegall (’62) also spoke about the new Middle School facility, the earliest campaign priority. In order to break ground in June 2008, all funding for the new building must be raised by May 1. Otherwise, the project will have to be pushed back.
“Built in 1962, the current facility was built to accommodate less than 175 students in relatively small classrooms, connected by narrow hallways, with no area large enough for the entire student body to gather together,” Stegall said. “As Darlington’s enrollment has grown, the Middle School has taken on as many as 200 students in grades 6-8, resulting in even greater space constraints. In order to remain competitive with our peer institutions, and to provide the best possible learning environment for our students, a new facility must be constructed.
“With our new Middle School, students will no longer have to walk across campus to use many of the Upper School’s amenities – they will have their own wireless state-of-the-art library/media center, commons area, band room, music instruction area and spacious cafeteria for school-wide assemblies,” Stegall continued. “In addition, I am proud to say that this innovative building will be highly energy efficient and in harmony with the natural environment. To date, we have raised 67 percent of the funding for this $21 million project. Now we need folks from the surrounding counties, who will benefit most from this facility, to come forward and help make it a reality.”
Darlington School will host two Second Century Campaign informational sessions this month. The first will be held March 6 at 8:15 a.m. in Tiger Hall at the Lower School. The second is March 11 at 6 p.m. in the Art Room at the Middle School. School administrators and the campaign team will be on hand to answer questions.
“The remarkable support from the Board of Trustees and the rest of the Darlington community thus far has given the campaign great momentum and a foundation for success,” Drummond said. “The goals we have set are ambitious, yet we look forward to this opportunity to stretch ourselves, to demonstrate our dedication to Darlington, to make our vision a reality. The future is in sight. Our Second Century Campaign will take us there.”
For more information about the Second Century Campaign or to learn how to make a contribution, please call us toll free at 866.534.1905.
