Deerfield-Windsor School recently received a $40,000 grant from The Benedict Foundation for Independent Schools.  The Foundation supports independent school education in the United States with a grant-making emphasis on supporting teachers who are inspired, well prepared and innovative. 

DWS’s successful proposal involves creating a “Design Lab” including various technologies and a flexible layout to encourage creative thinking and student-designed projects.  The new Broadcast Journalism course will be one of the classes to use the Design Lab.

In making the grant, Foundation President Peter B. Benedict II said, “Based on the creative proposals, it is safe to say that great learning is taking place in our schools. I am pleased to report that the foundation supported 10 proposals with $350,000. Only the strongest, high impact, and mission-supported requests could be funded.

The Benedict Foundation for Independent Schools was founded in 1983 by retired headmaster Peter B. Benedict and his wife, Nancy. As the great-grandson of famed philanthropist John E. Andrus, charitable giving has always been a family virtue for Benedict. Benedict has since stepped down from his leadership role, handing over the reigns to his son, also a passionate independent school educator.

As one of the few foundations committed exclusively to funding independent schools, The Benedict Foundation for Independent Schools has awarded $6 million in grants to 190 independent schools in 35 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands since its founding. In 2001, the foundation was awarded a John R. Chandler Award by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for its contributions to independent schools.