Why Alumni do not donate to their high school
Very few high school alumni donate to their old school after graduation. Here are some reasons that people have expressed:
- Not everyone has an emotional attachment to the school.
- Many students migrate to other distant cities and states.
- Some alumni do not have the funds to donate.
- There are family constraints: one spouse may want to donate to their old school, but the spouse rejects that opportunity.
- Sometimes a principal or school administration does not express appreciation for donations. Donations need to be acknowledged.
- Some people think that this is someone else’s responsibility.
- Many do not have a sense of gratitude for their education, or value the school and teachers that contributed to their lives.
Why do alumni donate to their high school?
They realize the significance of education in their lives for growth and development. They really want to express gratitude through donations.
One of the reasons I am devoted to working with our Alumni Association is gratitude for several teachers who guided and inspired me with future consequences. My English teacher, John Stewart, mentored my creative writing, which would result years later in becoming a published author. My speech teacher, Lois Harding, a strict and demanding instructor, mentored my participation in speech and debate teams, leading to a preaching ministry as a parish priest.
We hope that this alumni newsletter sparks your memories of activities and education at PHS and that you can find that deep place of gratitude in your heart to donate to our work this year. One of our key goals is to offer academic scholarships to promising scholars at the PHS Spring Awards Assembly.
Father Brad Karelius, PHS 1963
PHSAA Board Member
Please send your donation to:
Pasadena High School Alumni Association (PHSAA) 530 S. Lake Ave., #961 Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 767-2925 phsaa@yahoo.com The PHSAA is a certified 501(c)(3) non profit.
News from PHS Alumni Association Board Meeting
Here are the news/notes from the January 2023 Pasadena High School Alumni Association meeting.
- Last meeting recap: Yano Aghilli spoke on risk management, foundation of building the association, fundraising and how it can be dispersed and the fundraising rules.
- Storage is needed for the Alumni Association pop up, t-shirts and other items. The PHS Principal, Dr. Mathew Kodama, will look for an available location within the school to store our items.
- Pasadena High School is looking to rename the library after Mrs. Harriet Hammond. Mrs. Hammond began working at PHS in 1980 as a math teacher and was at PHS for 40 years. The school is asking for letters from the alumni to support the naming of the library after Mrs. Hammond. Please email your letters to Dr. Mathew Kodama at kodama.mathew@pusd.us or mail them to his attention to Pasadena High School 2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena CA 91107.
- Dr. Kodama spoke of an intern program to partner up local small businesses with students at Pasadena High School. The school is looking for alumni with small businesses to join in this intern partnership. If you are interested please contact Dr. Kodama at kodama.mathew@pusd.us.
- There are a large percentage of children in the Pasadena Unified School District that are foster children or in foster care that need support from alumni. A mentor to walk with them on Senior Nights or to attend their award ceremonies. If you are interested in mentoring a PHS foster student please email Dr. Kodama at kodama.mathew@pusd.us.
- Were you a part of an organization, sports program, band, social club or other group/activity while at Pasadena High School? The school is looking for alumni that are willing to come back and speak to current students about their experiences in these organizations and groups while they attended Pasadena High School. If you would be willing to share your experiences please email Dr. Kodama at kodama.mathew@pusd.us.
- The Pasadena High School Associated Student Body (ASB) is currently working on raising money for the refresh of the campus murals and peeling banners. There is a campus cleanup/refresh day in the works. The school is asking for donations of red and white rosebushes, money for new benches, tables for the quad, shades for the eating areas, white sycamore trees, planter boxes and umbrellas for the tables. If you are interested in making a donation please contact Dr. Mathew Kodama at kodama.mathew@pusd.us
- Discussions for fundraising: Scholarship fund raising before spring, Food truck night, spaghetti dinner and live music, pancake breakfast, etc.
- Pasadena Alumni Association has completed the linkage to the school district so we are now incorporated.
- The Pasadena High School Alumni Association taxes have been taken care of and the tax ID is now live.
- It was discussed that additional board members are needed for a quorum to follow bylaws and report to the state. There must be nine board members for a quorum. The current board members are Rick Dones (President), Laura Huitrado (Treasurer), Father Brad Karelius and Terri Parker Qualles. Appointees added to the board include: Heather Griffin (Secretary), Alvin Marks, Cheryl Morris, Lee Tanya Murray, Lauren Radcliff and Marianne Valmonte.