Student’s Relative Donates $50,000 to School

By Dawn Marks, The Daily Oklahoman

Mar. 16–A student’s success at Trinity School has prompted a $50,000 gift from an out-of-state donor.

Spokeswoman Debbie Yoeckel said the donor, who is a family member of the student, visited over the holidays and made note of the student’s progress.

The family attributed much of that to Trinity, and the family member said he wanted to make a donation, Yoeckel said.

“That was very affirming to us,” Yoeckel said. “It gives us something to celebrate, for sure.”

The donor and family wanted to remain anonymous, she said.

Most of the time, the school is required to use grants or gifts for specific purposes, but the donor said administrators can use this money in any area, Yoeckel said.

“We got the check and it was just a miracle,” she said. “That’s extremely hard money to come by in fund-raising.”

Yoeckel said this is the first time in several years that the school has received a gift of this size from one person.

Administrators will use the money for teachers’ salaries and benefits, books and teaching materials, to augment professional development and for any other necessary items.

“It will go straight to the mission of the school,” she said.

The school, 1120 E Hefner, accepts students in preschool through eighth grades and provides instruction according to individual learning styles.

School officials are now raising money for the school’s annual campaign and have surpassed the goal even without the $50,000 gift.

The goal was to raise $75,000, and before the gift, officials had raised $124,000, Yoeckel said.

The school received $95,000 in grants for the campaign, she said, with $58,000 coming from donors who had never given before.

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