Many of us already know and are so proud of our Abigael and all that she has been able to achieve. 

Abigael came to us and to EHS through the Elewana Education Partnership, founded by EHS alumnus and dear friend, the Rev. Zach Drennen. When we met young Abigael she was a stellar student at her primary school, Kakamer Primary, in Western Kenya. After impressing many of us with her natural enthusiasm, resilience and hard work Abigael applied for admission to Episcopal stressing her desire to use her opportunity to pursue an education in the states as a way to prepare herself to return home and make a difference for her tribe, her region, and her family. She was accepted.

She made the multi-thousand-mile journey to EHS months later and joined our school family and our family as we became her guardians.

She joined the school and began her journey towards graduation. Along the way she has been honored with the Quentin Roosevelt Prize for Conduct, Scholarship, and Character, prizes for diligence in the study of mathematics, has been named a monitor, a residential student life leader, and has achieved a 96+ average over her 4 years of work at EHS. 

All this time, her parents have continued to struggle as subsistence level farmers in her native Kenya, while Abigael has supported them from a distance as she is able. 

Each summer Abigael has returned home to participate in community development work and has volunteered in Alexandria through the Dream Dog Foundation, an educational nonprofit in the DC Area.

Having done so well, Abigael's college future is now in the balance. Abigael has been accepted into several wonderful 4-year colleges including,  Agnes Scott College, the College of St. Rose, Siena College, and Westminister College. At each, she has been awarded generous scholarship and grant money, but at each, there is also a deficit between the aid awarded and the cost of attendance.

Abigael has also been waitlisted at Franklin and Marshall, Denison, Wesleyan and Wellesley, four amazing institutions from whom we hope to hear after May 1. 

In the meantime, we are seeking support for her to close the gap and enable Abs to continue her educational journey unimpeded for the next four years. 

If we can raise sufficient funds, Abs will be able to make her dreams possible. If we stretch to $140, 000 we may even be able to gain admission to some schools that would love to have her, but cannot afford to support her fully at this time. 

We have begun this campaign knowing that the goal is ambitious, but that together we can do amazing work, not just for her benefit, but to improve the lives of our partners in Western Kenya through Abigael. 

If we are successful, or if her need changes through new grants, all funds, save of course those associated with using Go Fund Me, will be returned to donors.

Go Fund Me has asked Sarah and me to provide a bit more transparency about our relationship to Abs, and the details of what we hope to accomplish with the money, once it is raised. As the former chaplain at EHS, I was thrilled to be a part of recruiting Abigael to EHS and Sarah and I welcomed Abs into our family as her guardians. We now live in Long Island, New York where I am the rector of St. John's Church in Cold Spring Harbor . The money we raise will go to direct support for Abigael's college tuition over her four years and be held in a special fund for that purpose. Sarah and I will continue to support Abigael in every way, and continue to welcome her as our own precious and beloved daughter as long as she wishes.