TCHS received $252,876 from an anonymous donor on Feb. 19. Although most of the money will go toward technology, some of it has already been used to purchase more benches for the quad.
“It’s a great feeling that an alumnus who feels very fortunate to have been so successful wants to give back to his high school,” Principal Ms. Mary Jo Fosselman-King said. “At my first meeting with him, when he said how much he wanted to donate, I was stunned.”
The donor met with a committee that included Superintendent Dr. Chelsea Kang-Smith and Ms. Fosselman-King to discuss needs for the high school. The group’s initial wish list would have totaled $444,879. They reduced the list to the most esstential items totaling $252,876.
The donation will allow the school to add a new computer lab with 38 iMacs for the Media Center ($75,707), 40 MacBooks for the Social Science, Math, Science and English Departments ($52,796) and 20 picnic tables to be placed around campus ($14,037). The donor is also providing funds to purchase eight new cellos and eight new string basses ($32,000).
“Our donor was humble and generous. He shared that he came to Temple City from Korea as a fourth grader having to learn English,” Dr. Kang-Smith said. “When he offered to donate an additional $100,000, he wanted to initiate others to give!”
After the quarter-of-a-million-dollar contribution, the donor made a proposal to give another $100,000 to cover the other items the commitee asked for, but only if the school was able to fundraise $100,000 on its own by next September.
“If every parent donated just $50 for each of their students who attends the high school, we will meet this goal with ease,” Ms. Fosselman-King said. “Our Council PTA has already generously donated $2,000, so we are off to a good start.”
If the school sucessfully raises $100,000 and gets the matching funds, they will acquire 60 iPads ($50,336) and 40 sewing machines for the small business and other ROP classes ($51,360). The donor, a local businessman who is a Temple City alumus, wishes to remain anonymous for now.