At St. Paul’s School, our belief sustains us – a belief in the power of education to develop young people who are eager and able to change the world.

It happens everywhere. Establishing a girl’s school in Afghanistan, restoring a historic downtown theater, as a journalist or artist, in defense of their nation, in countless enterprises that make use of talent, knowledge, and skill – and the dedication to create a world that is just a little, or a lot, better.

“Our most important work – work that has been our central purpose for 156 years,” Rector Mike Hirschfeld said recently, “is the training of servant leaders for a world that desperately needs them.”

“The challenge of our age,” he said, “is accepting the responsibility that comes with a broader, richer understanding of the world’s complexity. We are better informed witnesses of the human drama. We are more fully exposed to the cause and effect dynamic of human interaction. We can access information in ways we never could have imagined as few as ten years ago. And with this knowledge comes responsibility.”

The St. Paul’s School Annual Fund sustains our belief. The Annual Fund makes possible a community – every day, hour by hour – pledged to the development of character in young people. And to teaching the knowledge and skills necessary to bring their values to a higher purpose than just themselves.

As the 2011-12 Annual Fund begins, we ask you, as a vital member of this community, for your part in nourishing our belief.

We hope it’s your belief as well.