All Saints Cathedral School has launched an $11 million capital development campaign, and will debut its signature event Feb. 24 – a Mardi Gras Ball.
The Anglican school opened its doors in Charlotte Amalie on Garden Street, next to the cathedral, about 50 years ago. Beginning with the lower grades, it grew until it served students from kindergarten through senior year of high school. Its alumni include many of the territory's most prominent citizens.
All Saints now teaches 473 students and that's "more kids than they can handle" at the Garden Street facility, according to Catherine L. Mills, chairman of the Capital Development Committee.
Working with the Vestry of All Saints, the School Board, the Bishop's Office and others, the committee has set out to raise enough money to build a new school, while making improvements to the existing structure. Target date for the start of construction is the end of 2002.
"It's a united effort," Mills said. "There's so much work to do in a task this large that we need help from everyone."
Help is coming not only from groups within the church and school, but from the community at large. The Hartman family started things off by donating a 6 ½-acre plot of land in the Fort Mylner area near Tutu to be the site of a new school.
"The land is absolutely breathtaking in its beauty, its quietness," Mills said.
Already, she said, All Saints has received offers of design services from Jaredian Design Group and William Karr and Associates, survey work from Brian Associates, an access road from Island Roads and office space from Lockhart Caribbean.
The committee is looking for major grantors but also will sponsor three major fund-raisers per year, Mills said. It already held its first fund-raiser in December, a Karoke Night. The third event remains unannounced.
The upcoming Mardi Gras is meant to be the centerpiece in more ways than one. The sponsors hope it will become a highlight on the community's social calender after this introductory year.
The dinner-dance will be Feb. 24 at Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort. In keeping with the Mardi Gras theme, guests are encouraged to wear costumes and/or masks. P'Your Passion will entertain and dinner will be New Orleans style. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at Draughting Shaft, Petite Pump Room, Sunrise Pharmacy in Red Hook and the All Saints school office.
