It’s always a great day to be an SMA Bear . . . and TODAY is a great day to be an SMA CARES Bear!
Each year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, people around the world support Giving Tuesday. This global generosity movement unleashes the power of people within an organization to transform lives. Our Giving Tuesday goal is $50,000. The funds raised will benefit current and future Academy students through our financial assistance program. Together we can make a big difference.
Giving is easy and can be done in several ways:
1) Click here to donate online: https://cbo.io/d/sma
2) Or, text sma to 56651
3) If you are on campus and want to give anonymously, drop change or bills in the “Bear Jar” at the counter of the Sabre Bookstore
GIving Tuesday: Spread the Word
You can also help by spreading the word to others:
- Share our Facebook event
- Share our Giving Tuesday blog
- Share our QR code, shown below
Giving Tuesday: Transforming Lives
At San Marcos Academy, we are all about transforming lives through the unique educational experience we have to offer. Our students enter the Academy with a great deal of personal and academic potential. Together, we strive to develop that potential and build up the leaders of tomorrow.
Today, on Giving Tuesday, we call upon alumni, community supporters, school leadership, parents, students, and other friends of the Academy to support our mission of educating young men and women within a nurturing community based upon Christian values. Our Giving Tuesday goal is to raise $50,000 or more for student financial aid assistance. How important is the financial assistance we provide for many of our families? Here is what one parent had to say:
“I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making it possible for me to send my son back to San Marcos Academy this year. Last year was our first year at SMA, and I fell in love with the education, support, and guidance that the Academy provided for all three of my children. The last couple of years have been extremely hard on the children as we have gone through some tough life changes. I also had to change my career path to be with the children more, which resulted in my taking a significant pay decrease. Without financial assistance, I was not going to be able to send my son back to SMA. I truly hope you know that you have changed the trajectory of my child’s life. The teachers and staff at SMA have done such a great job fostering all my son’s attributes and finding ways to use them to help him grow into a great student, friend, and child. Thank you so very much for making this possible for him.”
Another parent shared this testimonial: “Our entire family would like to thank you for your financial generosity and the support you have provided our children in their first year at San Marcos Academy. Our family currently has some financial challenges, but with your support, we are able to provide our children with faith, hope, and a strong foundation, as well as an education that we feel is critical in their growth as young people in today’s world.”
Giving Tuesday: Meeting Needs
This year alone, San Marcos Christian Academy in Texas has provided more than $500,000 to support 100 students representing 60 families with financial assistance. Many of these students would not be able to reap the benefits of a private, Christian education without this support. We could not have met these needs without the generous gifts of our donors.
Will your Giving Tuesday gift truly have an impact the life of an Academy student? Consider this testimonial by one of our recent graduates:
“My name is Christian Wilson, and I am a Class of ‘16 SMA graduate. Growing up, my mother always stressed education. The school I came from was not up to par with my mother’s standards, so she moved me to the Academy. My mother and I received financial assistance which allowed me to compete at the highest level academically and athletically. The skills I received from the Academy both inside the classroom and on the football field supported me in my quest for higher learning. I have received my bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences at Texas State University and a Master’s of Education degree from Grand Canyon University. If I had gone anywhere else or had not been given the resources to attend this institution, my life would be very different. I thank God for the opportunities I was given here and the family I have at the Academy.”
Giving Tuesday: Your Gifts Matter
The answer is YES! Your gifts matter. Every donation, large or small, will enable us to assist families who want an Academy education for their sons and daughters. The more we raise in our Giving Tuesday campaign, the more students we can help. Consider this testimonial by Dr. Jim Wittliff, a 1956 Academy graduate, who finds joy in giving back to his alma mater through our endowed scholarship program:
Although my life and career have been influenced greatly by family, friends and university education, San Marcos Academy had a major impact on me personally and my career decisions at a critical time in my development. Skilled and caring teachers at SMA such as Harlan Ford, literature and writing, and Howard Schultz, chemistry, just to mention a couple, helped to expose my talents and passion for broader education. The discipline of living in a boarding school complemented by rigorous military training served me well in pursuing my craft and enjoying a demanding profession in science and laboratory medicine. With the ardent support of my wife and laboratory partner, Mitzie, we established the Scholars in STEM Studies at San Marcos Academy because we firmly believe that recognizing those with merit as well as need will advance the next generation. SMA provides the fertile ground for these students. —James L. (Jim) Wittliff, Ph. D., M. D. hc, FAACC, FASCP
We encourage you to make a donation on this Giving Tuesday. Together, we can realize our vision and accomplish the objective of this campaign to the glory of God.
