PDS Receives $11 Million For Financial Aid Program

Candace Braun

Princeton Day School Trustee Bob Carr and his wife, Jill Carr, have donated $11 million to the private school to fund financial aid grants to underprivileged families who would otherwise be unable to send their children to a private school like PDS.

The gift is the single largest gift ever made to PDS, according to Andrew Hamlin, director of advancement at the school.

The donation is being made through the "Give Something Back Foundation," which was founded in 2002 by the Carrs, who reside in Princeton, and sent three of their own children to PDS.

"Jill and I feel privileged to have the capacity to make this gift to PDS," said Mr. Carr, the CEO and chairman of Heartland Payment Systems, an 8-year-old financial services company in Princeton which recently went public. "We have been amazed with the quality of the teachers and the nurturing culture the school has developed over many years. We believe the quality of PDS will be further enhanced by these students from different backgrounds and life circum- stances, and we know it will help these youngsters in a very positive way."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Carr come from families with limited incomes, which is why they would like to give other children an opportunity they were unable to have themselves, said Mrs. Carr: "Bob and I have been very blessed and feel extremely proud to be able to provide for the education of these youngsters at PDS over the coming years....It fills us with joy to be able to provide this gift to these families."

In addition to funding 100 percent of the recipients' demonstrated financial need, the gift will fund books, fees, lunch programs, transportation, and other related needs. The objective over time is to fully fund the education of 42 students at the school on an on-going basis, three students in each of the fourteen (junior kindergarten through 12th) grades offered at the co-ed private school.

"We are thrilled with this remarkable gift," said Judy Fox, head of school. "We are proud to be partners with the Carrs in reaching out to these deserving students."

The school anticipates an immediate increase in the number of applications it receives, particularly from those with financial need, according to PDS Admission Director Kelly Dun.

"The [donation] will allow us to help more of these applicants, which in turn will free existing financial aid funds to support others whose need is very real, but may not be as great."