Stronger than we found it: How the Senior Annual Fund became a defining Beaver tradition

As Beaver prepared to launch its first Senior Annual Fund in fall 2007, the vision was bold, and the goals were clear: raise $350,000, help Beaver’s Annual Fund surpass $1 million, and “revolutionize annual giving at Beaver.”

The inaugural Senior Annual Fund letter invited graduating families to do something more than make a gift. The fund chairs, parents of Beaver seniors, asked fellow parents and family members to reflect on the role Beaver had played in their children’s lives. Nearly two decades later, that aspiration has become one of Beaver’s defining philanthropic traditions.

Since that inaugural year, Senior Annual Fund families have contributed an incredible $7.85 million in unrestricted support, strengthening every aspect of the Beaver experience while creating a culture of generosity that each graduating class proudly inherits.

The Beginning

The Senior Annual Fund was more than a new fundraising initiative. It became a meaningful way for graduating families to celebrate their children’s Beaver experience while investing in students who would follow.

Class of 2008 Senior Parents Gale and Terry Hunt P ’05, ’08, ’11 were among the first parents to help bring that vision to life with fellow co-chairs Shelley and Ira Lefkowitz P’08.

“I remember the decision to shift the class focus away from purchasing something physical for the school and toward building and supporting the Annual Fund, “ Gale said. “We still think of it as stacking the woodpile for the future. We always believed Beaver was a school worthy of that kind of philanthropy, and it’s been wonderful to see the Senior Annual Fund grow and thrive.”

A decade later, the Hunts continue to support the school annually, long after their children graduated. “We love following its upward trajectory,” Gale said.

Watching a tradition grow

Over the years, the Senior Annual Fund became much more than an annual campaign. It became an expression of Beaver’s culture of philanthropy. Since the fund’s founding, each graduating class has embraced the opportunity to celebrate together, encourage one another, and collectively invest in the school’s future.

Few people have witnessed that evolution as closely as Josh Kraft P’16, ’18, who served Beaver as a trustee and Annual Fund Chair and is the parent of two Beaver graduates, Becca ’16 and Anna ’18.

Senior Night, a cherished Beaver tradition, in 2018.“There’s something extra special about giving during senior year,” Kraft said.

“It’s a moment for families to step back and think about what they’re grateful for. It’s the teachers who really knew and supported their children in classes, on the courts, and on the stage. It’s the friendships they made at Beaver that, for so many of them, continue well into adulthood.”

 

Building on one another

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Senior Annual Fund is that each class builds upon the generosity of those who came before. Milestones are celebrated not as finish lines, but as invitations for future classes to dream even bigger. Ambitious fundraising and participation goals are set based on the rate of giving in each class’ previous years. Volunteers on the Senior Annual Fund Committee help develop a theme for the year and roll up their sleeves to connect with fellow parents and create a plan. Then, senior families—parents, caregivers, and extended family—are invited to make a meaningful gift to the school. For some, it might be two to three times their previous Annual Fund levels.

When the Class of 2022 started its planning in the fall of 2021, fund volunteers were excited to be celebrating their child’s senior year while cautiously optimistic about emerging from the pandemic and connecting more in person. At the time, they knew the reigning highest-achieving class gift was the Class of 2015 ($517,000, led by Stephen and Suzanne Kaitz P’15). The committee wondered if it might be able to hit that mark—and they did! The Class of 2022 set a new benchmark for the Senior Annual Fund by raising an incredible $772,000, raising the bar even higher and inspiring the next generation of senior families.

“We were incredibly proud of what our class accomplished. But records are made to be broken,” said Senior Annual Fund volunteer Heidi Johnson P’22. “Every graduating class should aspire to leave Beaver stronger than they found it, and we’re thrilled to see the Class of 2026 raise the bar once again.”

The Class of 2026

This year, the Class of 2026 added its own remarkable chapter to the story.

Guided by an outstanding committee of parent volunteers and inspired by the generations of Beaver families before them, the 2026 Senior Annual Fund became the most successful in Beaver’s history. The achievement reflects extraordinary generosity, thoughtful volunteer leadership, and the willingness of families across the class to participate in a tradition that has become a hallmark of the senior experience.

Nicolle Diver P’26, ‘29, member of the 2026 Senior Annual Fund Committee, said she found the tradition of senior families giving meaningfully to the school to be a heartfelt statement of gratitude.

“I loved the kickoff meeting when we came together as senior parents, and we were going around the table and hearing all the same mix of emotions that comes with senior year,” she said. ”I’m excited to see how Beaver continues to grow and evolve in the coming years.”

Looking to the future

Eighteen years ago, the architects of the first Senior Annual Fund hoped to revolutionize annual giving at Beaver. In their very first letter, parents shared a simple hope:

“…to leave Beaver’s foundation stronger than we found it, with a legacy of giving for all who will follow.”

Nearly two decades later, that aspiration continues to guide each graduating class. And that may be the Senior Annual Fund’s greatest legacy of all.