The Highland Park Education Foundation (HPEF) celebrated the success of its “Lead for Tomorrow” endowment campaign at the Dallas Country Club on April 29.
The campaign, which included over 200 donors, raised $47.5 million in gifts and pledges, surpassing its $40 million goal more than a year early.
The Lead for Tomorrow campaign launched publicly in 2023. Its goal was to grow the foundation’s Tartan Endowment and increase the support for Highland Park ISD’s greatest needs today and in the future.
More than 200 people attended the event on April 29, including HPEF executive director Meg Boyd, who thanked leadership committee for its work, including honorary co-chairs Marla and Mike Boone and Judy and Jim Gibbs, co-chairs Cindy and Guy Kerr, and members such as Mollie and Bobby Halpin. Administrators and principals from across the district were also in attendance.
The Halpins, when asked why they helped the campaign, shared their thoughts on the value of Lead for Tomorrow.
“Public education is at a crossroads,” they explained. “Communities can wait and hope for the best with their state legislatures, or they can get organized and play offense to do what’s needed. Lead for Tomorrow wasn’t successful because Highland Park is an affluent community. It succeeded because a critical mass of people who care chose to work together.”
Attendees were treated to a thank-you video along with a commemorative art piece by Highland Park High School alumna Allison Hall Phillips. As endowment donors complete their pledges in the coming years, continued gifts to the HPEF annual campaign, Mad for Plaid, and Tartan Endowment will create a bright future for students.
HPISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood congratulated the donors for not just the gifts they made, but the history, too.
“This campaign will be remembered as a defining moment in HPISD’s lengthy tradition of excellence,” Rockwood said. “The immediate impact of these new funds is already being felt by teachers through stronger salaries, while the longer-term benefit is financial strength and resilience for our district’s future. The HP community truly stepped up to lead for HPISD’s tomorrow.”
Editor’s Note: A prior version of this story misspelled the names of Lead for Tomorrow campaign leadership committee members quoted in the text. They are Mollie and Bobby Halpin, not Mollie and Bobby Haplin. The story also included a misspelling of the name of the photographer who took the lead photo. He is Guy Rogers, not Guy Rodgers.
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