Jaimie & Kevin Shmelzer P'25, P'28, P'28

For Jaimie and Kevin Shmelzer, giving back to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy is a family affair. From small donations to athletic teams to Kevin’s leadership as a trustee, their involvement has grown alongside their three children. We sat down with the Shmelzers to discuss how the school’s unique culture of care inspired them to increase their support through The SCH Fund and the EITC program.

What inspired you to support SCH through The SCH Fund? 
We have always made small donations to the teams or activities in which our kids were involved. When our oldest son started at SCH, that continued. As time went by, all three of our kids started attending. When we saw how SCH was so impactful to our family and was meeting the needs of our three different kids, thereby allowing them to flourish in many areas, we wanted to support the school even more. We became active with some of the parent events. Kevin eventually joined the board, and this led to an even greater level of giving. The more engaged we became with the school, the more we wanted to give back to the community as a whole.              
 
Was there a particular moment or experience that sparked your decision to give?
We are not sure there was a moment that sparked our decision to give, but there have been moments that have validated our decision. Head of Middle School Meadow Pepino earlier this year, and she asked how our oldest son, Drew, was doing in his first year at Lehigh. He hasn't been in Middle School in five years, and she cared enough to ask and knew where he was. She also asked how Max was doing in 10th grade and even asked about our son, Ben, who was never in Middle School at SCH, but she met him and helped us decide when to bring him over to SCH. She said she felt invested in his success. This is just one of many examples of the care that the faculty and staff at SCH have for our students. We believe that each child at SCH is valued and cared for regardless of whether or not the child excels in any specific area. This highlights our belief that SCH fosters community for everyone, which is important to us.
 
What impact do you hope your gift will have on students and the school?
We hope that our gifts will ensure that students will have the best experience at SCH, from the teachers to programming to the facilities. We also want to ensure that students who otherwise would not be able to attend this amazing school will have the opportunity that our kids have. It is very important to us that families who cannot afford the full tuition can send their kids to SCH, which is why we also donate through the EITC program and strongly urge others to take advantage of the EITC program in light of the significant impact it affords the school, yet provides an extremely tax advantageous way to give back.             
 
What would you say to someone who is considering becoming a donor?
We would say to potential donors that giving to an organization in your community, such as your child's school, has an impact that you can feel and one that can really make an observable difference. You chose SCH for a reason, so think about that reason and help make it even better for the students, teachers, and future students.
 
Do you have a favorite quote or piece of advice that inspires you?
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." - Anne Frank
 

Become a donor today!