Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Remarks
Remarks by Dr. Glyn Cowlishaw, Head of School
What a humbling moment it is to stand here in front of this huge crowd of Chargers young and old to mark this very special occasion. Thank you for being here.
It has not all been plain sailing, but never has landfall or safe harbor looked more enticing or exciting.
It’s my sincere pleasure to welcome you to the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Academic Center, DeMayo Gateway Center, courtyard, and everyone’s favorite – the parking deck. As you can clearly see, it’s an exhilarating time at Providence Day.
This community’s passion for PD and investment in its future continue to amaze and inspire me.
Today’s ceremony highlights — and is a tangible reminder of — our mission…to inspire a lifelong passion for learning, and help our kids become the best version of themselves, with integrity and responsibility at the core.
This is made possible, in part, by our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality teaching and learning environment for our faculty and students. These new facilities are a bold reflection of that commitment.
Thank you to the hundreds of investors in the Charging Forward campaign for your philanthropic leadership.
We are officially part of Providence Day history, and you helped make it happen.
Reaching a major milestone like this can only be achieved through incredible teamwork. I am honored to work alongside some of the best in the business, and want to publicly acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our faculty and staff, and in particular to our incredible facilities team for their extraordinary efforts this past week to get these spaces ready for today.
I must also express my deep appreciation and sincere gratitude to our partners on this project – Bill Monroe at WGM Design, Roger Hendrick at Hendrick Construction, Trung Le at WONDER by Design, Ken Leonczyk at Sun Trust Bank, and Tracy Miller at Office Environments. Thank you for bringing our vision to life.
I am so pleased that celebrating with us today are members of our community whose significant contributions to — and leadership within — the Charging Forward campaign have helped us reach this important milestone.
Today, two students stand with us as we cut the ribbon to remind us not only of our mission, but of the incredible promise that both our youngest and oldest students possess as Providence Day School Chargers….promise that is exemplified by these two buildings and the Charging Forward campaign.
I’d like to invite the following to join me at the ribbon:
Benjamin Robinson, Chair, Board of Trustees
Olivia Comer, member of the class of 2018
Nancy Downing, Chair, Advancement Committee, Board of Trustees
Michael DeMayo, whose leadership gift supported the Gateway Center
Cathy Bessant, National Chair, Charging Forward campaign
Howard & Julie Levine, whose leadership gift supported the Academic Center
Quinn Taggert, member of the class of 2031
Once the ribbon is cut, the ceremony will be officially over and you are welcome to explore the DeMayo Gateway Center, interior courtyard, and Academic Center.
Alright….without any more delay, let’s cut this ribbon!
Remarks by Dr. Benjamin Robinson, Chair, Board of Trustees
Chargers, it’s an honor to serve as the Chair of the Board of Trustees, and it is with great pride I stand here to celebrate this milestone with you.
As a Board, we are tasked with envisioning not what tomorrow holds or even what next year holds for our school. We are entrusted with directing the future of Providence Day five, ten, or even 15 years from now.
Yet that future is rooted firmly in today. Today is significant for so many reasons. We have literally changed the landscape of this campus. We have built incredible facilities that honor those who have come before us, and that will inspire those who have yet to wear Charger red and blue. And we have taken an important step in securing the future of the school.
Lest we forget, though, that the foundation for today’s celebration was put in place years ago by former Board members and school leaders. It is their hard work, dedication, and forward-thinking that set us on this path with a campus master plan established more than a decade ago.
For many of you here today, this moment has been a very long time in coming. Thank you for your steadfast belief in our school and our mission. This Charger community has proven once again that we won’t back down and we won’t give in.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you to everyone who has invested in the Charging Forward campaign. As you tour the buildings today, please take just a moment to reflect on the collective power of your generosity, and be proud of what we can accomplish together.
My colleagues on the Board deserve our recognition and thanks for setting the campaign in motion. I’d particularly like to acknowledge the leadership of the Advancement, Finance, and Building & Grounds committees these past several years. Your tireless work on behalf of Providence Day is to be commended.
