In 2016, we had a vision to build on the greatness of our school and we embarked on FutureMakers: The Campaign for Rivers —the most ambitious fundraising initiative in the history of The Rivers School.

Thanks to you, our dedicated alumni, parents, and friends, we set unprecedented goals—and exceeded our own expectations. Together, we raised more than $67 million from more than 3,000 donors, shattering our original goal of $50 million. Together, we have done something remarkable and now we find ourselves at a very special moment in time.

On this journey, we set new annual fund participation and dollar records. We established 18 new endowed funds in support of financial aid, faculty development, and other critical programmatic initiatives. We transformed our campus with the addition of The Revers Center for Science and Visual Arts. We added a new athletic complex to the front of campus and a picturesque boardwalk that gives us access to our campus’s scenic wetlands. And, as I write, our middle school students are stepping into a newly renovated Prince building while renovations to the Allen building are in full swing.

If we were to try and measure the campaign’s success strictly by the numbers, here are some highlights:

• Total dollars raised: $67.1 million

• Total raised for capital projects: $34.9 million

• Total raised for endowment: $15.2 million

• Total raised for the Annual Fund: $16.9 million

• Total number of donors: 3,388

• Total amount of new program spaces added to the campus: 300,000 sq. ft.

Of course, the real success of FutureMakers is not measured by the numbers but by its impact on our community. That’s what this campaign has been about. While impact is not something easily measured, it is something you can see with your eyes. And from what we can see, it’s clear that we have transformed our campus and community in extraordinary ways thanks to your philanthropy.

It is said it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it certainly took a village to accomplish these goals and together we have set Rivers on a new foundation for the future. Our entire community rallied to the cause, and I could not be more humbled and grateful.

So now it is time to say thank you. Thank you for believing in Rivers, for your unwavering enthusiasm for our mission, and for your incredible support of FutureMakers: The Campaign for Rivers. On October 14, we will host a campaign celebration event to celebrate this shared accomplishment and to thank all those who participated in it. Invitations to the event should be arriving in your email soon. I look forward to seeing you there.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Ned Parsons P’17, Head of School