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HomeNewsArchivesANTILLES ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION IN GIFTS

ANTILLES ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION IN GIFTS

Antilles School has opened its $6 million capital campaign with $3 million already pledged, including $1 million from Neil and Trudie Prior and $1 million from Ambassador and Mrs. Henry L. Kimelman.
The campaign, dubbed "Imagine the Possibilities," will fund new libraries, a new theater, a fine arts center, field house, covered Amphitheater, playing field and classrooms and create an endowment for student scholarships and faculty enrichment.
The Priors' gift will be for a new theater with tiered seating and sound and lighting systems that will be available for use by other community groups as well as Antilles students. Prior is chairman of the campaign. He and his wife never had a child attend Antilles.
Kimelman, honorary chair of the campaign, recently had surgery and could not attend Saturday night's kickoff, but said in a letter, "I can't tell you how critical Antilles School has been, continues to be today, and will always be to the youth, to the growth and to the future of the Virgin Islands." The Kimelmans' gift is for the new Upper and Lower School libraries.
The third lead gift, $500,000 from Betty Jackson, a founder of Antilles School in 1950, will fund the Jackson Center, a covered amphitheater.
Randy Knight, owner of Knight Communications, has made a $250,000 commitment to the enclosed multi-sport field house, which will have concession, public address and broadcast facilities, as well as a quality composition floor, and space for martial arts and dance studios. Antilles officials said they expect the building to become a center for sports activities for students all over the island.
In addition to these gifts, $250,000 raised during a campaign aborted by Hurricane Marilyn has also been invested and committed to "Imagine the Possibilities."
Elliott "Mac" Davis, president of the Board of Trustees, said the campaign is being launched after several years of long-range planning.
The new facilities are needed to support and expand upon Antilles record enrollment of 465 students, Davis said, adding that the improvements will also serve diverse school populations all over the island in sports, arts and music activities.

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