Thank you.
Your gifts to the Milton Fund make Milton exceptional—thank you. Alumni and parents know that a Milton education goes well beyond classroom learning. Through our community engagement program, academic field trips to science labs and museums, club and athletic team travel, and more, our students are exposed, every day, to the world around them. These real-world encounters allow students to test their skills at every turn, preparing them not only for college, but for life.
Your generosity makes it all possible. The stories in this report demonstrate how learning comes to life at Milton for both students and teachers. Thank you for supporting our work.
Todd B. Bland
Head of School
3,472
DONORS
4,944
GIFTS
$4.75 million
RAISED
%
percent to goal
$26.8 MILLION RAISED TOWARD $35 MILLION CAMPAIGN GOAL
“I love sitting in a classroom surrounded by students who are so incredibly talented and who push me to be a better student. Milton has pushed me to work harder and think more deeply, and for that, I am so appreciative.”
— Jade-Ashley May ’18
clubs and organizations
providing students with opportunities to experience leadership, teamwork, performance and service
classes, seminars and workshops
enjoyed by faculty in support of professional development goals
trips near and far
for competitions, tournaments, conferences, study abroad and community engagement programs, including travel to Spain, France, Greece, Jordan, California, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Nevada and more
offerings in athletics and arts
%
of students received financial aid
In total, we provided $10.3 million in need-based financial aid—a seven percent increase in financial aid from 2016–2017
%
of the School’s annual operating budget
is supported by the Milton Fund
“One of the amazing parts of working at Milton is having the opportunity to see students grow through trying new things. The incredible range of resources our students have access to makes this growth possible.”
— Christopher Kane, Director of Financial Aid
Empowering students to lead
Soon after graduating, Merritt Levitan ’13 lost her life to a driver who was texting while driving. She was 18; the driver was 21.
Motivated by pain and loss, Milton students created the TextLess Live More campaign (TLLM) to honor her and raise awareness about the perils of excessive cell phone use. With support from the School and Merritt’s family, TLLM now has national reach. “The distraction problem is universal,” says Isabel Greenberg ’18. “There are upsides to being connected anywhere and anytime, but there are dangerous downsides, too.”
Milton Fund supports student clubs and organizations, and TLLM is just one example. On the first Monday of each month, students encourage their peers to turn off their phones. They distribute light blue rubber bracelets with “TextLess Live More for Merritt” and hold text-free events. Beyond Milton, they advise students at other schools on how to create campaigns, and TLLM recently partnered with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) to reach its 350,000 members.
Students who were too young to know Merritt want people to remember her—someone who was 100 percent present; not one to be distracted by her phone. “Just living as she did—that’s the message we’re sending,” says Natalie Wamester ’18.
Developing skills for a complex world
Imagine being a world leader trying to solve today’s most important problems. Milton students, grades 6-12, have just that opportunity through the Model United Nations program.
In Model U.N., students discuss a wide array of topics–from peace and human rights, to the environment, hunger and economic development. “We think about real-world problems,” says Anna Hamblet ’22. “I learned that you don’t have to be a grown-up with a college degree to think of solutions.” To prepare for Model U.N. conferences, students assume the perspective of their selected countries, engage in research, and write position papers. In learning about current and historical events, students increase their understanding of others’ needs, rights, and beliefs. During competitions with peer schools, they use public speaking skills to present ideas and influence others. Anna shares, “Your resolution won’t get passed with one vote. You have to convince kids you don’t know to adopt your point of view.”
According to Sharon Mathieu, eighth-grade social studies teacher, “Students grow not only in content knowledge, but in listening to others and expressing their opinions. A big benefit is understanding what you say and how you say it makes an impact.”
Promoting innovative teaching
Visiting Pritzker Science Center, you may smell the aroma of apples … or maybe sweet cherries or almonds. These are the scents of organic chemistry, one of many inquiry-based courses at Milton.
Three years ago, the science department hoped to attract a handful of students for this new offering. Today, more than 40 students register. Why strong interest in a course known as one of the most challenging science courses in college? Julie Seplaki, science department chair, says Milton students are eager and able to take on high-level problems. Equally influential is chemistry teacher Joel Moore, whose experience and passion inspires students.
Joel joined Milton after a successful career as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. After his first year of teaching, he recognized he had more to offer students, and that they were eager for a challenge. With a professional development grant from Milton, Joel designed the class for rising seniors and juniors.
“It’s important to love what you do, and Mr. Moore clearly does,” says Jason Bussgang ’18. “Only someone with as much pharmaceutical experience as he does could deliver this unique course and teach it well.”
The Milton Fund is one of the four pillars of Dare: The Campaign for Milton. The most ambitious fundraising campaign in our history, Dare supports people: our faculty, our students, and the power of their experiences together. Our $175 million goal includes $35 million in current-use funds through the Milton Fund. All gifts to the Milton Fund count toward class goals and participation.
For more information or to make a Milton Fund gift, please visit www.milton.edu/donate or contact: Liz Dixon-Eversole, Director of the Milton Fund, at liz_dixon-eversole@milton.edu or 617-898-2374.
