Dear Friends of Lick-Wilmerding High School,

Lick-Wilmerding’s tradition of giving began when the school was originally established by generous bequests from James Lick, Jellis Wilmerding and Miranda Lux. These gifts continue to give today, more than a century later.

Tuition only covers part of the school’s total expenses. Every year, we rely on the Annual Fund to meet the rest of our operating expenses, and our endowment to generate support for flexible tuition and our unique educational program. To maintain the economic and cultural diversity of our talented student body and to sustain our devoted faculty, Lick needs to continue growing the Annual Fund and the endowment.

Lick is extremely fortunate to enjoy a culture of philanthropy. This tradition of generosity provides the vital financial resources that every independent school, and especially Lick given its expansive mission, needs to thrive and grow. Generations of parents, trustees, alumni, grandparents, parents of alumni and friends have contributed to our school with a generosity of spirit that simultaneously inspires and humbles us.

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations serves as a vital link between Lick and its alumni, parents and friends – our past, present and future. In addition to reunions, Culture Jam and other events throughout the year, we sponsor numerous gatherings for new parents, former parents and events for young alumni.

Through innumerable gifts of “time and treasure,” these constituencies are linked by the common goal of perpetuating a Lick-Wilmerding education. Revenue from tuition accounts for just 78 percent of Lick’s annual operating budget. Gifts to the Annual Fund from alumni, parents and other friends of the school provide an additional 6 percent. Then, like our peer schools, we must rely on the endowment to make up the difference.

Exactly what is endowment? It is a stable, philanthropic investment that yields secure annual returns; in other words, a gift that keeps on giving. Because the economy and individual private giving to an institution tend to fluctuate, endowed funds guarantee a school’s economic future. Schools and colleges ensure their futures by diversifying their holdings, growing their endowments and protecting their existence. Lick’s endowment, as of June 30, 2007, is $47,700,000—enviable in some circles, but not enough to sustain the Lick we know and love into the future. Lick-Wilmerding’s commitment to an economically diverse student body and the fact that our school offers 15 percent more courses (including the shops) than other college preparatory schools, means that our endowment must increase significantly in order for “Lick to remain Lick.”

Whether you support Lick through the annual fund, a major gift to the endowment or one of the many planned giving options that can benefit you as well as the school, your gift really matters and helps guarantee that L-W will remain healthy and strong for generations to come.

With sincere gratitude,


The Development Team