Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/947700
Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund I am honored to share my perspective on why the Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund is such an important tradition here at Latin. As a teacher for 24 years and as a parent for 13, I have had the great pleasure of being a part of this community, one that uniquely puts students at the center of all that we do. I know first-hand the unbelievable amount of dedication and love that goes into creating a community for our students and families that is truly representative of a "home away from home." At the core of this second-home experience is the same essential element, a strong foundation of supportive relationships. Like the famed educator Rita Pierson said, "Every child deserves a champion; an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be." I believe that we strive to provide our students, no matter what their life span is at Latin, an environment of many "champions" all around them. Through this deep sense of connection, students are better able to bring their whole selves to school and take advantage of the rich learning opportunities that Latin offers. At the end of the day, I along with my colleagues, would say that this is the noblest part of our profession – creating relationships that affirm, encourage, and nurture the potential in our students and support them beyond the doors of our school. For this reason, the Faculty Endowed Scholarship Fund has been a tradition of giving for faculty and staff for several decades. In the 30 years since the fund's creation 1,496 gifts have been made to make the Latin experience a reality for deserving students and families. We understand the importance of supporting those that otherwise would not have the opportunity to be a part of our great community. It is our way of showing our commitment to increasing accessibility to our Latin home to a larger network of students and families throughout the city. We want to be champions for all children across the Chicagoland area because we whole-heartedly agree with Ms. Pierson. All children deserve to have champions in their lives in order to be the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. Kasey Taylor, Faculty Council Chair 2017-18 28 opening doors