The CWA Annual Fund

“I’ve had the honor of attending Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Summer Institute for four years. TCRWP taught me how to use state-of-the-art tools and methods for teaching reading and writing and how to use performance-based assessments and learning progressions to accelerate growth with my students. They also taught me how to have literacy-rich instruction in other areas of curriculum. TCRWP is always incorporating new brain science research strategies into the way the world teaches reading and writing, and it has been a continual source of professional development and renewal that has guided my teaching of the reading and writing process in the Lower School as I target students across the developmental age span of ages 4 through 12. I have particularly enjoyed being able to attend the summer institute with other Tarrier educators. Doing so allows us to plan how we want to implement our new learning into our classrooms and better support our students. Bringing those lessons back to campus, I’ve participated in rich conversations and discussions on the Curriculum Committee and in the English department as well as in our divisions. Guided by Rachel Rippl and Patti Crouch-Cook, we developed meaningful skills and benchmarks across our curriculum from junior kindergarten through 12th grade in both reading and writing. I will always be thankful for all of the support and resources that I need to be a successful teacher. I am also grateful to all of the exceptional teachers at CWA for helping me to grow as a reading and writing teacher into an educator of which I can be proud.”
– Mary Cole, Lower School learning specialist
CWA, 2002-present

“I attended Charles Wright from kindergarten through 12th grade. Going through kindergarten and Lower School, and then moving through the growing pains of Middle School and Upper School, made many of my classmates best friends for life. The best part of Charles Wright athletics was getting to play the sports I love with my best friends. This combination melted away any stress and anxiety that can come with competitive sports. The sense of community and support of playing sports at Charles Wright will always have a special place in my athletic memories. Charles Wright personifies balance and the opportunity to expand horizons. From Ms. Herrington’s music class in Lower School to Ms. Webster’s math class in Upper School, Charles Wright allowed me to find out who I was and who I wanted to become. In Upper School my two fondest memories outside of athletics were Miles Struxness’ ceramics class and Ms. Webster’s math classes. I must have taken at least three math classes from Ms. Webster, and she prepared me for college and my future business major better than I could have ever imagined. I also took Miles’ ceramics class all four years, and ceramics grew into one of my biggest passions outside of sports. The combination of baseball, math, and pottery is one example of how Charles Wright allowed me to create diverse interests and excel academically, artistically, and athletically.”
– Nate Mondou ’13; professional athlete; Stockton, Cal.

“We launched Give InKind (giveinkind.com) as a place for individuals or organizations to better coordinate help, when and where it’s needed. We created the ability to manage meal and help calendars, fund-raise, create wish lists of needed items, and communicate with those that want to help—all in one place. We didn’t just draw from our own personal experiences with crisis to know what needed to be managed; I drew from further back than that. I thought about when Columbine happened, how as CWA juniors ourselves, we were so overwhelmed by the feelings of loss that struck us that we started a letter-writing campaign in our English class, a voice for the collective pain that students across the country were feeling. I thought about our annual adopt-a-family at Christmas, how it felt to know we were making a holiday possible for a family that might not otherwise have one, and why I always volunteered to do the shopping for the kids, because giving things I knew they would use just felt good. I thought about my senior internship, and the day spent with a perinatologist. How I left the room, awash in dizziness, when a mother began an emotionally devastating procedure, my own emotion teaching me as much of a lesson in that moment as witnessing the procedure might have. When crisis strikes, the worst thing you can do is panic. When you’re hit by a rogue wave, or pulled out by the tide, you are forced to think critically. What must I do, in this moment, to analyze the circumstances and apply the things that I know to resolve the situation? I knew the action that could be taken in the face of crisis, both from my own experiences and from those I experienced in my years at CWA. By presenting challenging situations, along with the safety and permission to fail, we begin to gather the skills and knowledge necessary to sail the open sea.”
– Laura Malcolm ’00; entrepreneur; Tacoma, Wash.

“I’ve been the Lower School administrative assistant and registrar since 2012, and I adore it here! I give to the Annual Fund every year because this is a magical place—both to work at and just to be a part of the community. I look at my Annual Fund contribution as helping to fund the magic that is CWA. We are so blessed to be here, no matter who we are or what our role is here!”
– Mandy D. Marcellis, LS Administrative Assistant and Registrar
CWA, 2012-present

“I give to the Annual Fund because I believe that Charles Wright does a wonderful job of providing a well-rounded liberal arts education. All of our students receive a broad exposure to academics, the arts, and athletics. Those who have interests in particular areas of study can explore those disciplines in significant depth. For many, this broad exposure to the liberal arts also fosters the development of new interests. I am grateful that my children attended CWA, and I am happy to continue to support the academy.”
– Gil LeFrancois, Math Teacher
CWA, 1983-present

“I could say that I give for my health, and especially my happiness. I could say that I give because God said, “Test this and see.” And He is right. Am I wired that way? Is it an ingrained sense of duty? Is it training, understanding, a love of serving? Previously, I gave more spontaneously—and sometimes still do—but lately I’ve learned the discipline of planned, continuous, and increasing giving. Mostly I give because I’m quite certain that I can do nothing less than give. It’s because I have a passion for reciprocity. It’s an ever-present undercurrent. Not just to this amazing place known as Charles Wright Academy, but to all the layers of my life with all my resources, gifts, and talents. Yes, test this and see.”
JoAnn MacKay, Facilities Administrative Assistant
CWA, 2002-present

“Bruce and I have given to the Annual Fund regularly since it was established. We believe in the value of the education our children received while they were here and want to see it continue for many years to come. I love working at CWA and am willing to invest some of my pay back into my job because I feel it’s important to show my support for the school. Now that we both work here, we both contribute separately to the Annual Fund because we truly love being a part of this community! Sometimes I think we really do bleed green!”
– Judy Williams, Seventh Grade Team Leader, MS Spanish, 7th Grade Advisory
CWA, 1991-present
– Bruce Williams, Bus Driver
CWA, 2011-present