RECOGNITION AND GIVING SOCIETIES
REPORT ON GIVING
LJCDS’ annual Report on Giving celebrates our community’s generous philanthropy and the unique role that LJCDS plays in the lives of thousands of students and alumni who inspire greatness for a better world. Your generous support ensures the financial viability of our school now and for the next 100 years.
LEADERSHIP GIVING
Leadership gifts are the cornerstone of LJCDS’ fundraising success. They recognize philanthropic leadership, celebrate the school’s strong culture of philanthropy and provide a sense of community. Giving societies offer our community a way to pledge their lasting commitment and is how our most loyal Torreys choose to leave their legacy. Giving societies are based on annual cumulative gifts.
1926 Society
$50,000 +
Founded in 1926, the school opened with four primary students and three teachers. In 1955, The Balmer School became La Jolla Country Day School. In 1964, LJCDS graduated its first class of 26 seniors. Our evolution into the school we are today, while preserving the values instilled by Louise Balmer, would not have been possible without the generosity of those who made significant contributions to the school.We believe education is the best equalizer and stabilizer for society’s development. We both have been recipients of scholarships. Thanks to those scholarships, we were able to widen our horizons and explore a much broader world.”
Liqun Wang and Marco Londei
SCIENTIA PACIFICA SOCIETY
$25,000-$49,999
Named for our school motto Scientia Pacifica meaning "peace through knowledge," which can be found centered on the school seal.
DONALD LEAVENWORTH SOCIETY
$10,000-$24,999
In 1957, Donald Leavenworth was named headmaster of La Jolla Country Day School. Mr. Leavenworth was an alumnus of Yale University and brought Yale’s colors, blue and white, to his new school. He was the leader responsible for the relocation of the school to our current campus.
WISTERIA COTTAGE SOCIETY
$5,000-$9,999
In 1942, the Balmer School moved to 780 Prospect Street, better known as Wisteria Cottage for the breathtaking purple branches planted in front. The cottage had been redesigned by famed architect Irving Gill and was owned by school parents, Ellen and Roger Revelle, who rented out the property to the school. This became the first instance of parent-driven philanthropy, an initiative the school would continue to celebrate throughout its history.
LOUISE BALMER SOCIETY
$2,500-$4,999
Louise Balmer, an educator from Illinois, founded The Balmer School in 1926, a school where children were encouraged to be the best version of themselves. She was keenly aware of the promise and potential of every student to make the world a better place, and modeled a passion for lifelong learning.
La Jolla Country Day School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax ID# 95-1875978. Donations to the school are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
