Dear Garrison Forest School Families,

I am very pleased to share some exciting news with you about our wonderful school: last week, a very generous alumna made a gift of $5 million to Garrison Forest. This gift, which represents the largest single gift in the school's 109-year history, serves both as an affirmation of the good work the school is doing today and as a charge to us to continue our efforts as we look to the future.

As some of you know, I have been on the road a great deal since winter break, connecting with alumnae and friends of the school across the United States and internationally. This gift is emblematic of the positive feel and great energy that I have seen and heard from alumnae at every stop; Garrison Forest remains near and dear to their hearts, and they are excited about all that the school is doing. Some of the things that resonate most clearly in those receptions are the ongoing powerful impact of our Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) partnership with Johns Hopkins, the great success of our riding and polo programs, our financial literacy initiatives in the Lower School, and our wonderful arts program that touches every division. In addition, the many anecdotes I can easily provide of the "Garrison Spirit" that resonates throughout the school, along with stories of the caring, talented, and dedicated members of the faculty and staff, help these alumnae feel connected to the school they knew and loved when they were students themselves.

Most specifically, this gift helps support the much-needed physical projects we are currently undertaking. The renovation of the Elinor Purves McLennan Library building last summer, the construction of the new dormitory that began last month, and the complete renovation of the Upper School's Marshall-Offutt building coming this summer are projects designed to serve our students by making sure that our facilities match the high quality of our academic, residential, and extracurricular programs. In addition, this gift opens the door to continued campus improvements that meet these same goals, and we are excited to begin to dream and plan for those next steps.

Although this alumna chooses to remain anonymous, please join me in thanking her "in absentia" for her tremendous and impactful support of Garrison Forest School.

Best wishes to you all for the upcoming Spring Break, and Go Grizzlies!