Annual Giving

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Dear Bishop High Community,

This year we open our annual giving campaign with a strong sense of who we are at Bishop High and how we would like to grow this coming year. We want you to understand what we can accomplish because we'd like you to participate. We ask that you contribute to this annual appeal as we encourage your support of this year's school-wide giving effort.

With admiration for the heritage of our predecessor school, Catholic High (1940-1959), we are excited to approach our 50th anniversary on this campus as Bishop Garcia Diego High School (1959-2009). We continue to welcome incoming freshmen as we meet the challenge of financing a Catholic faith-based, college preparatory school, with a small enrollment and large accomplishments. While across our nation the year 2008-2009 will not be easy to navigate financially, we want you to know that we have sound strategies and proven leaders who, with your continued help, will ensure that we meet the challenge of being Bishop High.

This year Bishop High has partnered with local companies who are "good givers". These people understand the value of working together in good times and times that are not so good to ensure that Bishop High continues in its mission to see that no qualified student is turned away from a Bishop education. We thank local partners like Santa Barbara Bank & Trust for their contribution of $20,000 to open our campaign to renovate the 2 labs and 2 classrooms of our nearly 50 year old Science Wing. Please see our Master Plan page under Advancement on our website.

Please contribute to our Adopt-A-Student Campaign: concerns over affordable living within Santa Barbara County, made more complex with our current economy, have caused families to rearrange even the most basic requisites of daily life. Bishop High is committed to a values-based, college prep curriculum that lifts the barrier to higher education.
  • We are committed to providing students with the spiritual, personal and intellectual knowledge to meet the enduring challenge of realizing their God-given potential in today's multi-cultural society.
  • As we build our enrollment, retain our highly qualified faculty, and offer the specialized curriculum required of a 21st century education, we inevitably raise the cost of a Bishop High education - it's the cost of doing business the right way.  A few years ago we sought funding for 22 full tuitions, last year our need doubled.  As these students flourish at Bishop High, the need continues so that they may complete their education at Bishop. Incoming students also exhibit new financial need. This year we require the equivalent of 77 full student tuitions.
  • Currently 60% of our students receive tuition asssistance as determined by an independent, nation-wide, tuition assessment firm.
  • Our current tuition is $12,200 while the actual cost of educating a student is approximately $13,279. Bishop High builds into its budget this tuition reduction for ALL enrolled students.

A gift to our Alumni Endowment Fund is designed to reach out to student families in need and to say to them, "Your child will have a desk waiting at Bishop." A fifty-dollar contribution from each active Bishop alumnus would surpass this year's goal for the endowment. A one hundred dollar gift from each of our alumni would meet our total goal for the fund.

Our students make their way by committing to a course of study to make the grades. Our country and our economy need graduates with the leadership skills and the values to make the choices that will guide all our lives in a multi-cultural world. Our message is clear: love God and love your neighbor and leave no qualified student behind. Provide a qualified student with the means to get accepted to college. Since 2002, 100% of our students have been accepted to college and universities nationwide.

Being "Ready for College and Ready for Life" means students are on the right path toward eternal life.  Students educated in our faith-based environment are more likely to have a significant impact for good in our world throughout their time on this earth.  Love of God and of neighbor are fundamental to reaching their potential here and for life ever after.  Let your legacy become their legacy.

Make the difference. We want to make it easy for you to participate. This year we offer our friends and contributors the ease of online giving through our partnership with Givezooks. This is your opportunity to lead by example. Join us as we strive for 100% participation in this annual fund appeal. We want each of our Board of Trustees, all teachers and staff and every student family to contribute. No gift is too small or insignificant except that which is not given.

On behalf of the students who attend Bishop High and daily make their commitment to achieve their God-given potential - thank you! May God bless you and those you love.

Shalom, 
Rev. Thomas J. Elewaut, C.J.             
Principal  

Sincerely,
John Gherini, Esq.  
Chairman, Board of Trustees 

P.S. For donors age 70½ or older, the H.R. 1424 provision exempts from taxable income any funds transferred ("rolled over") from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a charitable organization. The contribution must be a direct gift to a charity (no planned gifts). The provision will be made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2008, and will apply to gifts made from that date through Dec. 31, 2009. Please check with your tax specialist for details.

            


Campaign Progress
$653,723.00 raised towards $685,000.00 goal!
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