PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION OF CT

To All Wilbur Cross Alumni: Thank you—truly—for showing up at our reunions. You came back, walked the halls, shared stories, and reminded us what a powerful community we are. Last weekend was a historic day. And it was beautiful.

Now, we’re asking: Can you help us keep that spirit alive for the next generation?

Wilbur Cross is still the largest public high school in New Haven. Over 75% of our students qualify for free lunch. Our building needs repairs, our teachers are underpaid, and our programs are underfunded. And yet—somehow, the school thrives. Our culinary management team won a national championship. Many of our students go on to attend first-rate universities, are often the first in their families to attend college or start careers as soon as they graduate. Our principal, Matt Brown, was named Connecticut State PTA’s Outstanding High School Principal.

This place still works miracles. And now, we’re asking: Can you help Cross do for today’s students what it did for you?

We’re trying to raise $15,000 to support student clubs, celebrations, and our school’s unique grant system—where students and teachers design and run programs they believe in: a rain garden, a yoga class, a Dungeons & Dragons club, a Hispanic Heritage Festival. Our motto is: IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, WE WILL FUND IT. This year, we funded 30 projects. Next year, our goal is 40.

All donations are 100% tax deductible through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Even a modest gift helps. A larger one makes an even bigger impact. If you can, please donate—and help us spread the word. Let Wilbur Cross do for these kids what it once did for you!

With deep gratitude,

Jake Halpern President, Wilbur Cross PTSA

My name is Jake Halpern and I am president of the Wilbur Cross PTSA. Our sister school, Riverside High, has been hit hard by the loss of two students, and they’ve come to us for support. Please help by donating to this fundraiser—whether it’s to get students music therapy tools, help fund their yearbooks, or support other essential needs. Every little bit helps!

MORE DETAILS:

As part of the Wilbur Cross community, we know how important it is to stick together, especially when a fellow school is going through tough times. Riverside High School, our sister school, is in need of our help right now, and they’ve reached out and asked our PTSA for help.

This year, Riverside has been rocked by tragedy. Two of their students were killed in shootings, just two weeks apart. It’s heartbreaking, and the entire Riverside community is grieving. The school’s principal, Derek Stephenson summed up the mood at the school by saying, “We are now left with a void that can never be filled.”

Now, in the midst of this grief, Riverside is asking us to help. And as the Wilbur Cross community, we’ve always supported each other. This is our chance to give back.

There are a few specific things Riverside needs right now—things we can all pitch in to help fund. One major request is for their music therapy program. Music has been a huge way for students to express themselves and heal from trauma. They’re asking for some essential equipment like a USB microphone, ukuleles, and a Fender amp—just $275 will help make this possible. These tools will give students a creative way to cope, connect, and share their emotions with others.

Riverside also needs help funding their yearbook project. Yearbooks are a big deal for students, not just as a keepsake but as a hands-on learning experience. But this year, they’re short on funds. They need $400 to cover the cost of 40 yearbooks. By chipping in, we’ll help keep this tradition alive, give students something to be proud of, and allow them to keep learning the business of publishing.

Another simple but meaningful request is for reusable water bottles. Riverside’s student council wants to provide every student with a water bottle to help reduce plastic waste and make it easier for students to stay hydrated. The cost for this is $275 for 96 bottles. A small investment that can go a long way in making students feel supported and creating a positive impact on their daily lives.

Lastly, Riverside has a parent engagement program called "Chat & Chew," where parents and teachers come together to support the school and students. This is a great initiative that’s been really successful, but they need $1,000 to continue hosting these gatherings. This is an opportunity for us to help build stronger connections and ensure that parents are involved in their children’s education.

So, what can you do? Donate. Every little bit adds up, and together, we can make a real difference in the lives of Riverside’s students during a really difficult time. Riverside has supported our community, and now it’s our turn to support them.

Thank you so much for being part of this effort. Let's show Riverside that we’re in this together!

Hello, this is Jake Halpern, president of the Wilbur Cross PTSO and I really need your help! [Este mensaje está en español a continuación.] Today is the launch of our BIG fundraiser, which sustains us for the entire year. Let me get straight to the point: Ours is the largest public school in the city of New Haven and over 75% of our students qualify for free lunches. Our building is in disrepair, our teachers are underpaid, and our programs are underfunded. And yet, somehow, amazingly – thanks to the resilience of our students and the dedication of our teachers – our school thrives! Our culinary program recently won a national championship, eight of our students went to Yale last year, and our principal was named “Outstanding High School Principal of the Year” for the state of Connecticut. Wilbur Cross is a place where, despite all odds, the American Dream still flickers with hope. But we DESPERATELY need your help to keep this dream alive.

Our goal is to raise $25,000! This money will fund student clubs, teams, and celebrations. It also funds our innovative grant system. Here’s how that works: Basically, if you are a student or a teacher with a dream – of creating a rain garden, or a yoga class, or a Dungeons & Dragons club, or a Hispanic heritage festival – this money makes it possible. We have a grant committee, within the school, where students, teachers, and administrators allocate the money directly. This money is managed by students and teachers with the express purpose of empowering students and teachers. (You can see specific examples of what we funded on our website, https://www.wilburcross.org/end-of-the-year-report-2024-english). Last year we gave out 16 grants. This year the goal is double that: 32!

This charitable contribution is 100% tax deductible! We are a registered 501c3. Please consider making even a modest donation! Or a BIG one! And spread the word. Please share this link with other parents, grandparents, neighbors, or distant relatives. Tell them: If you want to help our city -- and our country -- be a true land of opportunity, where people come together and succeed together, then support our school! Look at the faces in the picture above. Those kids all have dreams. Help us empower them!

…

Hola, soy Jake Halpern, presidente de Wilbur Cross PTSO y ¡realmente necesito su ayuda! [Este mensaje está en español a continuación.] Hoy es el lanzamiento de nuestra GRAN recaudación de fondos, que nos sostiene durante todo el año. Permítanme ir directo al grano: la nuestra es la escuela pública más grande de la ciudad de New Haven y más del 75% de nuestros estudiantes califican para almuerzos gratis. Nuestro edificio está en mal estado, nuestros maestros están mal pagados y nuestros programas no cuentan con fondos suficientes. Y, sin embargo, de alguna manera, sorprendentemente –gracias a la resiliencia de nuestros estudiantes y la dedicación de nuestros maestros– ¡nuestra escuela prospera! Nuestro programa culinario ganó recientemente un campeonato nacional, ocho de nuestros estudiantes fueron a Yale el año pasado y nuestro director fue nombrado "Director Sobresaliente de Escuela Secundaria del Año" para el estado de Connecticut. Wilbur Cross es un lugar donde, a pesar de todas las probabilidades, el sueño americano todavía brilla con esperanza. Pero necesitamos DESESPERADAMENTE su ayuda para mantener vivo este sueño.

¡Nuestro objetivo es recaudar $25,000! Este dinero financiará clubes, equipos y celebraciones de estudiantes. También financia nuestro innovador sistema de subvenciones. Así es como funciona: básicamente, si eres un estudiante o un maestro con un sueño (crear un jardín de lluvia, una clase de yoga, un club de Dragones y Mazmorras o un festival de herencia hispana), este dinero lo hace posible. Contamos con un comité de subvenciones, dentro de la escuela, donde los estudiantes, profesores y administradores asignan el dinero directamente. Este dinero es administrado por estudiantes y docentes con el propósito expreso de empoderar a estudiantes y docentes. (Puede ver ejemplos específicos de lo que financiamos en nuestro sitio web, https://www.wilburcross.org/informe-de-fin-de-año-2024-inglés). El año pasado concedimos 16 subvenciones. Este año el objetivo es el doble: ¡32!

¡Esta contribución caritativa es 100% deducible de impuestos! Somos un 501c3 registrado. ¡Considere hacer incluso una donación modesta! ¡O uno GRANDE! Y correr la voz. Comparta este enlace con otros padres, abuelos, vecinos o parientes lejanos. Dígales: si quieren ayudar a que nuestra ciudad (y nuestro país) sea una verdadera tierra de oportunidades, donde las personas se unan y triunfen juntas, ¡entonces apoyen nuestra escuela! Mira las caras en la imagen de arriba. Todos esos niños tienen sueños. ¡Ayúdanos a empoderarlos!