December 2, 2021
 
Hello, Friends,

I hope you all enjoyed the Thanksgiving weekend and were able to relax and spend time with loved ones.
Giving Tuesday results
I am very grateful for those of you who supported The Albany Academies on Giving Tuesday, the internationally recognized day of charitable giving Through your generosity and the support of other Academies donors we raised $125,301, surpassing our goal of $100,000 by more the $25,000! We truly are stronger together!
Fall signing event for athletes
On November 23, we held a signing ceremony for three student-athletes who have committed to attending and participating on the athletic teams of Division I and II universities. The event, which was held in Caird Chapel, recognized Aidan O’Keefe, who will play Division I baseball at the University of Richmond, Ava Sperling, who will play Division I lacrosse at the University of Oregon, and Porter Wilsey, who will play Division II baseball at Southern New Hampshire University. The event received some nice media coverage!
Food drive a big success
We’re very proud to share that the food drive sponsored by the AAG Key Club successfully collected more than 2,300 pounds of food for the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. Shown here are a few of the AAG Key Club officers with some of the food ready for pick-up. AAG Key Club members recently spent a Sunday morning at the food bank sorting and boxing donated frozen food to be distributed to area food pantries and charities.
Signage up at the Early Childhood Center
Signage is now up at our new Early Childhood Center, which houses our Preschool, Pre-K, and Kindergarten programs and involves a play-based curriculum and a whole-child approach where children learn to be collaborative and cooperative learners. Our youngest students are loving this new space! Please let me know if you’d like to come for a tour.

We are especially grateful for three legacy alumni gifts that supported the renovation of the space from the estates of E. Wayne Wilkins, Jr., MD ’37, Chandler Stein, J.D. ’41, and George Holzworth ’45. These planned giving gifts are so important!
International students gather
Earlier this week a gathering for our international students was held in the Schellenberger Alumni/ae Center. International Program Coordinator Jessica Chen hosts the students monthly to provide them with an opportunity to bond with each other and the faculty. Currently, 23 students are part of the Academies’ International Program with a goal of 40 for the start of the next school year..
NYC young alumni/ae to meet
On Thursday, December 16 New York City-based young alumni/ae will get together from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Valerie, 45 W 45th Street. The event is being coordinated by Ali Rutnik ‘15 and Alydaar Rangwala ‘11, who are co-chairs of the newly formed Young Leaders Program. Please reach out to Development Coordinator Sarah Adamowski at adamowskis@albanyacademies.org if you would like additional information.
Athletic Hall of Fame nominations sought
We are accepting nominations for the 2022 AA and AAG Hall of Fame, which celebrates individuals who have carried on the long history of excellence in athletics for which the Academies are known. These accomplished alumni and alumnae will be honored during a ceremony around Reunion. If you would like to nominate someone, please CLICK HERE.
Reunion 2022 scheduled
Mark your calendar now and plan to join us for Reunion 2022, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21. You know you want to be there! If you are interested in serving as a chair for your class, please contact Joanne DelCarpine at delcarpinej@albanyacademies.org.
A2 magazine has been sent
The latest edition of A2 is now posted on our website. I hope you have received your copy in the mail and enjoyed the information about our new classroom spaces, academic leadership, and programs at the Academies.
2020-21 Annual Report of Donors coming soon
The Annual Report of Donors will be online soon. This annual publication is a culmination of donors and gifts made during the 2020-21 fiscal year. There are also stories and photos of interest included. We will only be printing a small quantity, so let me know if you would like a hard copy. Many thanks to all of our alumni and alumnae who supported us last fiscal year and continue to be so generous this year!

Many thanks to all of our alumni and alumnae who supported The Albany Academies last fiscal year and continue to be so generous this year!
Stay safe and healthy as we head towards the close of this year. There’s so much more to come in 2022!
Best,
Ann Wendth
Chief Advancement Officer