the official student-produced news site for Saint Stephen's Episcopal School

the Gauntlet

the official student-produced news site for Saint Stephen's Episcopal School

the Gauntlet

the official student-produced news site for Saint Stephen's Episcopal School

the Gauntlet

School races to raise funds for athletic complex

47 Days. $600,000 to be raised.

“We can, and we will do this” ~ Mrs. Jan Pullen, Head of School

October 1st was truly a day to mark the future. The Challenge for Excellence was set in motion to promote a future goal of the school.

With a unified front of student athletes surrounding the Palm Courtyard, Head of School Mrs. Jan Pullen announced the nine-week matching gift challenge to kickoff the capital campaign, which will fund the school’s improved athletic complex.

The new complex will include a lighted soccer, football and lacrosse field with stadium seating, regulation-size baseball and softball fields with dugouts, batting cages, concessions, a regulation track, a maintenance facility and new restrooms.

Pullen explained that this campaign challenge is different, though, as the Elizabeth and Stuart Moore family has generously offered a $2 million donation toward the completion of the new athletic fields.

“They said that they will give us the $2 million, if [Saint Stephen’s] matches it. This gives it a little more excitement because we have a deadline of December, 1st and there is also an excitement of trying to get it done and rallying everyone,” she said.

At a time of economic hardship for many families, Pullen said she and the Board of Trustees needed to find the proper time to release this plan to the public.

“We’ve been very sensitive to people because of the economy, but we didn’t want to miss this opportunity and when this challenge came along, we said maybe this is the [right] time,” she said.

Though there is a short period of time to fulfill this goal, Head Varsity Football coach Mr. Tod Creneti said he felt hopeful about the improved athletic facilities and emphasized its importance to the school community.

“I used to just drive by Saint Stephen’s. Now, after setting foot on the campus, it has become a place I cannot leave. These new fields will give everyone the same reaction before they leave campus: wow. It is time to not only provide a world-class education, but also to provide world-class athletics,” he said.

Athletic Director Mr. Carlos Boothby said he was confident in the potential success of the new athletic fields and said that it will move Saint Stephen’s forward.

“It’s an athletic field improvement, but it is also a school improvement. Everyone will be using it at some point. P.E. classes will go out there regularly, and when [we have] school tours, [the athletic fields] will be a beacon that will set us apart,” he said.

The new athletic fields will be utilized for various opportunities to promote the school to the outside community as well as Saint Stephen’s families.

Boothby said, “We’ll be able to host events on the track to get people who normally wouldn’t set foot on campus to see it and say, ‘Wow, this is a really nice campus.”

Pullen agreed with Boothby, saying, “I can see us hosting Special Olympics, community service events and several induction ceremonies out there.”

So far, multiple families have already donated a total of over $3.3 million, leaving an additional $600,000 to be raised, but there is no doubt in the administrators’, faculty’s and coaches’ minds that the new and improved athletic fields will, indeed, be part of Saint Stephen’s future.

If the $2 million matching goal is met by December 1st, the new athletic complex is scheduled for completion in the fall of next year.

Pullen said she is hopeful the Saint Stephen’s community will continue to support this project.

“Everyone has been very positive about it so far. We are really hopeful people will [continue to] rally around it,” she said.

Pullen said she knows that if the money can be raised for the completion of the new athletic facilities, it will be a beneficial aspect of the school community.

“Every student I think is here because of academics, [but] I think this is a community we are building and part of a community is having a well-rounded program. Everyone [will be] taking advantage of the athletic fields out there because it is a healthy lifestyle. It completes the school,” she said.

 

 
Leave a Comment
Translate

Comments (0)

Comments are expected to be respectful and constructive. We do not permit the use of profanity, crude language, personal attacks, or the use of language that might be interpreted as libelous. Commenters must provide their name; no anonymous comments will be accepted.
All the Gauntlet Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
School races to raise funds for athletic complex