Why We Give
Alumni
Dear Alumnus,
Whether you graduated from TJ in the 80s, 90s or more recently, there’s one thing we all share—Colonial pride. Our unique school and the friendships that we formed so many years ago in the halls of 6560 have made a lasting impression on us all.
But as a student, did we ever stop and think at all of the challenges the school faced, both then and now? TJ’s unique position at the top of the scholastic pyramid often promotes a false sense of financial security among members of the community. Most feel, that since TJ performs so well year after year that it needs no additional funding—or even worse, less funding. My fellow alumni, this is far from true. In fact, in order for TJ to continue to be a world leader in innovative education and scholastic excellence, it needs more funding.
Therefore, we must continue to spread the TJ “gospel” but with the understanding that support starts from within – each of us can contribute to TJ and we can start today. Even if you cannot reach into your pocket, you can encourage others to do so, to give back to a school that gave so much and helped shape us into who we are today. The Alumni Association facilitates volunteer opportunities throughout the year to give back to TJ in other ways – mentorships, career advising, college advising, coaching and so much more.
It is challenging to read about the schools deteriorating conditions one day and then reach about achievements the next. Imagine what our fellow alums could achieve if armed with the proper resources!
I leave you with a little math. If every alumnus generously contributed just $7 a month—the cost of coffee and a muffin at Starbucks—we would raise more than half a million dollars for our school—ANNUALLY! Such support would certainly encourage others to contribute even more through matching. This year, we’d like to encourage all graduates to commit to the “Five for Five” program—pledging just five dollars a year for their first five years as an alumnus. Now, I know we can do that!
All the very best—
Dan Soschin ‘95
President, TJHSST Alumni Association
Corporate
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil has been, and continues to be, a significant supporter of TJ. Over the years, hundreds of children of ExxonMobil employees have attended and graduated from TJ, gone on to excellent Colleges and Universities, and followed promising and fulfilling careers in the fields of science and technology, as well as other non technical disciplines. There is never a lack of willing volunteers from the Fairfax campus to help promote the schools' programs and extracurricular activities.
Recently, in an effort to further expand the "partnership" between TJ and ExxonMobil, two experts from our Technical Laboratory in NJ spent a day at the school reviewing the school's lab equipment and chemical safety protocols. They provided some eagerly accepted suggestions on how to build on the existing procedures to promote even safer operations at the schools sophisticated laboratories.
ExxonMobil prides itself on being a technology company, not just an oil and gas company. As a result, there is a natural "partnership" between our company and the school. As a member of the Partnership Fund board, but more importantly as a father of an excited, passionate student at TJ, I plan to do what I can bring increased focus on the need to expand and develop math and science capabilities of our students so that they can be better positioned to solve tomorrow's highly complex technical problems.
Mark Skolnik
April 2008
ExxonMobil Corporation
Orbital Sciences
Orbital Sciences partnered with TJ in 2007 to construct a satellite projected to launch in 2009.
This project was a student idea that was nurtured by TJ faculty and Partnership Fund staff. David Thompson from Orbital Sciences stated that TJHSST is the “crown jewel in the public education system” and Orbital was “pleased and honored to enter the partnership.” He stated he was excited about the partnership because it was a way for “practical knowledge to be applied in today’s economy.” Congressman Tom Davis said that over “½ of the countries in the world have not launched a satellite.” So for TJ to launch a satellite is “quite an accomplishment.” This type of work, he said, contributes to the county’s reputation as well as shows the generosity of Orbital for giving back to their community.
Parents
Janet Tener
I recently sat in a meeting of parents of current and alumni TJ parents. One of the alumni parents who helped create the Partnership Fund 9 years ago remarked how wonderful it is to see the Partnership’s progress since its founding. She noted that the first few years, TJ parents were cautious about donating because they realized it would take time before the Partnership was able to have a significant impact on the school—and their kids would be long gone by then.
How times have changed! During the 2007-2008 school year , more than 600 current TJ families donated at a record-breaking level to the Partnership Fund. Alumni parents have continued to give at record levels as well.
Already, the Partnership has presented checks the 2007-2008 school year totaling $100,000 to Principal Evan Glazer. In addition, major corporations have rallied around the Partnership Fund by pledging five- and six-figure grants for equipment, software, research, as well as technical assistance to our labs.
I have to admit I sometimes wish my son, now a junior, were a freshman again so that he would be around to benefit in the years to come from the ever-growing generosity of the TJ community. We are a community—a unique one, bubbling over with vibrant kids and devoted faculty, coaches, administrators and volunteers. As the last nine years have demonstrated, we think beyond the here and now to the future greatness of the school. We know our gifts today represent a vote of confidence in both the present and the future.
Like the alumni parent who helped to found the Partnership Fund, I think we can feel very good about the legacy we are leaving.
Janet Kerr Tener, Co-Chair Parents Committee, 2007-08
Spring 2007
Other Parent Perspectives
Why do you give?” That was the question recently posed to an informal group of parents who donated to the TJ Partnership Fund during the 2006-07 year. The answers were revealing—and strikingly similar. They all made the connection between contributing to the Partnership Fund and supporting educational excellence for all students at TJ.
As Nan and Rob Coleman, with two sons at Jefferson, put it, “The TJ Partnership Fund supports the academic base at TJHSST, which not only enables a public math and science high school to compete nationwide but also gives our two sons . . . many cutting-edge educational opportunities not offered at other schools.” A parent of two recent TJ graduates heading off to college this fall responded that the “Partnership Fund’s mission … is crucial to TJ’s ability to offer such incredible opportunities to our children and maintain educational excellence.” She added that “I believe it is my responsibility to financially support the mission of the Partnership Fund so that the mission of the school will flourish.”
TJ parents Carrie and Scott Kilgore echoed these sentiments. “The science and technology curriculum is expensive and growing,” they said, and “this growth places tremendous burdens on the funding of this school.” The Kilgores contributed to the Partnership Fund because they “feel grateful for the opportunities” TJ provides but also because they believe “it is important for parents to be a visible constituent in the financial support of the school.”
For the past couple of years, over 600 parent contributions were deposited in the TJ Partnership Fund each year. Because the Fund supports educational excellence in achieving the academic mission of the school, it serves all students. For parents who contribute to the Partnership Fund, that is the bottom-line. When money and gifts are leveraged through the Fund, we can give TJ so much more!