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
percent to goal
$32.7 MILLION RAISED TOWARD $35 MILLION CAMPAIGN GOAL
“Milton has given me the space and resources to discover what I am passionate about beyond academics; for me, that passion is dance. Since freshman year, I have been a part of the Winter Dance Concert. Over everything else, it has taught me how to be a leader and how to manage my time, and it has given me an outlet to be creative and push myself beyond what I thought I could do.”
— Cianna ’19
of the School’s annual operating budget is supported by the Milton Fund
faculty members benefited from professional development, seminars and grants, from peer conferences to graduate work and more
of Milton students receive financial aid
“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
Senior Project: Giving Back in Gratitude
If you had five weeks to devote to learning and self-discovery, how would you spend it? Since the 1960s, Milton seniors answered that question through their senior projects. Seniors Eva O’Marah and Chloe Morris deepened their passion for language and culture by teaching Spanish in the Lower School.
Although projects must fit within School guidelines, the possibilities are endless and self-directed, from writing a novel to shadowing an alumni physician. A study exchange in Madrid allowed Eva and Chloe to explore the cultural side of language learning, and they were eager to teach others. Twice a week for a month, their classes alternated between vocabulary and culture lessons: studying different countries and using games, food, and art to spark learning. “Focusing on culture gave students something to be passionate about,” Eva says. “It’s more than memorizing, it’s about cultural and global understanding.”
All seniors have Milton Academy resources backing their project, from use of exhibit space to teachers’ time as project sponsors. The seniors met with their Upper School advisors, received daily coaching from Lower School Spanish Teacher Lucia Castińeira, and enjoyed classroom materials. Lucia witnessed an increased interest in Spanish among her students, sharing that her Lower School students look up to Eva and Chloe.
“I lived here for four years, Milton is my home,” Chloe says. “It’s a rewarding feeling to know we’ve given back.”
Professional Development: Sparking New Ideas
Visual Arts Department Chair Ian Torney ’82 is faced with an opportunity and a challenge: building a cohesive arts experience after retirements left the department with nearly 100 percent faculty turnover, in addition to uniting the program within a newly renovated space.
Since 2014, Ian has hired seven new teachers to replace faculty legends. The changes prompted critical thinking about not only our people, but also about the programs needed for today’s students interested in exploring the intersections of art, design, media and the influence of technology. Today, fields of study are endless and go beyond fine art: designing for sustainability, user experience design, animation, 3D printing, filmmaking and digital drawing and imaging.
Through Milton’s professional development program, Ian submitted a proposal for the department to attend an educator workshop at the Savannah College of Art and Design. SCAD is rigorous and forward-thinking—exactly what Milton wants to be.
Three uninterrupted days together last February included hands-on classes, class observation, facilities tours, and faculty and admissions meetings. “The trip generated many new ideas and gave us time to reflect on our department’s vision, the influence space has on curriculum, and how lesson plans can build year-over-year and class-to-class,” says Ian. “A cohesive approach to the curriculum will ensure students graduate with portfolios that reflect their powerful skills.”
Cultivating Problem Solvers
A good day for Lower School Teacher Jenny Sorblom often starts with a problem… take a broken bench in the Junior Building. When Kindergartners realized it wasn’t up to snuff, they knew woodshop could save the day. Kids examined it and set out to build a new one—a simple project that revealed lessons in skill building, confidence and empathy.
“If they are problem solving at five years old, we’re developing that mindset,” says Jenny. “When you are sitting at the SAT test when you’re 17, no need to panic, just think, think, think. Our students can step back, consider the options, and organize their thinking.”
Kindergarteners through third graders enjoy Jenny’s woodshop and design thinking class twice a week, while fourth and fifth grade students conduct project work, such as building a robot for science class. Lessons unfold sequentially and build over time; kids as young as five learn to safely use coping saws, hand saws and hammers, then integrate 3D printers and laser cutters. The program is unique because it’s offered as a standalone subject at a young age, signaling it’s never too early to cultivate independent thinking. Jenny knows resources make her job possible: abundant supplies, opportunities for her to take continuing education classes, and Milton’s commitment to keeping class sizes small.
“I am so grateful; I look at our kids and marvel at how lucky they are to experience this,” she says.
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 firstname.lastname@example.org or 617-898-2374.