With the Humanities program struggling with underfunding, programs and classes have increasingly been relying on donations and student-led fundraising to sustain events and learning opportunities relevant to the curriculum.
Gallery Night, an annual event that highlights original artwork and performances created by Humanities freshman, is one event that had insufficient funding. Gallery Night took place on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and featured the theme The Abstract Mind: Dreams and the Surreal. Humanities Head of House Mr. Andrew Ward expressed concerns over a funding shortfall. In previous years, funding covered the cost of art supplies and event-night materials, but this year, existing funds were insufficient to support Gallery Night.
As a result, the Humanities department turned to the school community for assistance. A group of Humanities seniors helped raise money through a bake sale, selling items during and after the school day to support the event. Humanities senior Michelle Lau, began this initiative to raise funding for the event after reflecting on its impact on her own freshman year.
“I wanted to preserve this experience for future years of Humanities students, so I did what I could to help when I saw Mr. Ward’s announcement asking for donations,” stated Lau.
Another one of the students involved, Nitya Durgam, described how the fundraiser worked.
“We had students who purchased an item enter into a raffle for a crochet animal,” Durgam explained.
“I recruited some of my friends to help me crochet small plushies and bake cookies to sell,” said Lau.
Funding challenges extend beyond Gallery Night, however. Another affected experience is the Humanities senior trip to New York City, a long-lasting opportunity that typically includes a Broadway show, visits to world-class museums, a hotel stay, and chartered transportation.
Financial assistance can’t be offered this year due to budget issues, as the trip is classified as an extension activity.
Humanities teacher Mr. Andy Ward shares information about the upcoming trip, in an email addressed to Humanities seniors
“We won’t be able to offer financial assistance due to budgetary constraints,” Ward stated.
To help address this, an optional donation fund was created through School Cash Online for families who are able to support other students. This same donation account will be used to fund other key activities for the Humanities, including National History Day competitions, the Senior Research Symposium, Gallery Night, and other student-hosted events.
