Berkeley Preparatory School has completed one of the largest capital campaign efforts in the country for an independent day school.
With more than 250 supporters in attendance at the Power of Community campaign celebration on Oct. 3, the school celebrated reaching the $65-million mark.
Above and Beyond: The Campaign for Berkeley Preparatory School was on display in the form of new buildings and renovated spaces. The campaign was announced publicly in Fall 2010, with an original goal of $50 million to build a board-approved master plan to transform the campus.
Over the years more than 725 donors stepped up to provide 9,650 gifts which resulted in the total $65 million raised by the capital campaign. Since then, Berkeley added over 175,000 square feet of new spaces and renovated 110,000 square feet of existing spaces. Berkeley has also made upgrades to grounds, roadways and entrances.
They've also constructed four new building including the Straz Family Field House, the Berkeley cafe, the Gries Center for the Arts and Sciences and the Seivold Center for Early Education. Existing spaces have been renovated and repurposed.
An early $10 million gift from an anonymous donor inspired many to invest with leadership gifts in the campaign.
"No question that the $10 million gift was the catalyst for the whole campaign," said Berkeley Prep headmaster Joseph Seivold.-"This signaled to the board and the entire community that someone believed in us so strongly that they would put forward 20 percent of the Campaign."
Contact Katelyn Massarelli at kmassarelli@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3436. Follow @katelyn_jou.