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Calvert Launches Fundraising Effort in Honor of 125th Year, Announces New Athletic Center

More than 200 members of the Calvert community tuned in this afternoon for an online ceremony announcing Calvert 125, a fundraising campaign in honor of the School’s 125th anniversary. This exciting campaign aims to raise $14.5 million to benefit four priorities: financial aid, the Calvert Fund, the Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP), and the upcoming Luetkemeyer Athletic Center.
During the virtual event, Head Master Andrew Holmgren and prominent Calvert 125 supporters outlined each of these priorities and the transformational impact they will have on Calvert School.
 
“This bold goal and endeavor will propel the school’s work to prepare future leaders, provide an education for all deserving children, respond quickly to today’s most urgent challenges, and finally to build a dedicated athletic facility for the first time in our school’s history,” Mr. Holmgren said.
 
Named for Jack Luetkemeyer ’53, who generously provided a matching gift challenge, the Luetkemeyer Athletic Center will include a large indoor turf field, a student and faculty training center, and 10 state-of-the-art squash courts with a spectator viewing area.
 
 In addition to providing a new home for Calvert athletics, the Luetkemeyer Athletic Center will enable the School to expand its robust co-curriculars and community programs, furthering Calvert’s mission to graduate well-rounded students.
 
Joined by the Class of 2021, Mr. Holmgren – along with Calvert 125 campaign chairs Ben ’52 and Wendy Griswold, honorary chair Wendy Bond, and Board of Trustees chair Ward Classen ’71 – broke ground on the new facility this afternoon. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
 
“The athletic center will enhance our already excellent sports program while also providing physical space for education, school-wide assemblies, student led conferences, clubs, activities, and anything else our boys and girls come up with,” Mr. Holmgren said.
 
Alongside Calvert’s robust athletic program, the Institute for Leadership & Purpose empowers students to become confident, empathetic global citizens through community engagement, leadership programming, and partnerships with schools throughout Baltimore.
 
Support of Calvert 125 will allow the School to maintain and expand these important partnerships, endow the Luke Stone ’86 Speaker Series, host two student leadership conferences per year, and enhance purpose learning throughout both divisions.
 
Calvert parent and campaign division chair Dawn Moore said that she joined the Calvert 125 team because of her belief in leadership offerings like the ILP.
 
“This program seeks to develop confident responsible globally aware independent thinkers and empower them to share their voices as future leaders of Baltimore and beyond,” she said today.
 
When trustee Josh Perry ’96 attended Calvert School, he benefitted from financial assistance. Now chairman of Calvert’s Investment Committee, he helps guide the School’s strategy for the same funds that allowed him to enroll.
 
“Financial aid awards are essential to keeping Calvert accessible to the brightest children in Baltimore, regardless of means,” he said.
 
Gifts to financial aid ensure that the School is able to attract and maintain a diverse, high-achieving student body, and roughly 33 percent of students receive need-based financial aid. The average award covers close to 47 percent of tuition, and Calvert 125 aims to raise nearly $2 million for financial aid endowment, which would provide $80,000 in new financial support resources every year.
 
This year, financial aid funds have enabled the School to provide additional help for families who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“Because of financial aid, we have been able to provide emergency assistance to help ensure that our children remain in the classroom,” Josh said.
 
Just as financial aid gifts empower Calvert to welcome deserving students, the final Calvert 125 priority, the Calvert Fund, allows the School to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected circumstances.
 
“The annual fund is Calvert’s largest source of unrestricted operating dollars and provides flexibility in meeting new challenges as they arise, including COVID-19, and important support to strengthen existing efforts, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion programming,” Calvert parent, trustee, and campaign division chair Betsey Hobelmann ’87 said.
 
In 2020, generous gifts to the Calvert Fund enabled the School to enhance its health initiatives, professional development offerings, and technological landscape, all of which contributed to a successful return to campus this fall.
 
Thanks to these vital funds, the School has been able to upgrade its HVAC system to maintain constant air circulation, purchase portable air-filtration units for classrooms and offices, begin a 1-to-1 device program, and invest in professional development related to online learning, among other enhancements.
 
Going forward, gifts to the Calvert Fund will aid the School in its efforts to expand professional development, improve campus life and facilities, and expand diversity, equity, and inclusion programming.
 
“With your support, this campaign will help secure and shape Calvert’s future for ages yet to come,” Mr. Holmgren said.
 
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Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.

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