DECEMBER 8, 2021

On Sunday, November 7, four Nightingale community members checked off what many would consider to be a bucket list item: running the TCS New York City Marathon. Running as Team Nightingale, Gabriel Ulibarri (Class XI dean and history faculty member), Ricky Piper (PE faculty member), Karl Andersen P’33, and Bob Wang P’24 took on the 26.2 mile journey.

Pounding the pavement through each of the city’s five boroughs, they ultimately raised over $25,000 for Nightingale’s partner school Anpo Wicahpi, the Pine Ridge Girls school, located in South Dakota. Educating the girls of the Lakota nation, Anpo Wicahpi is the first all-girls, independent school on a reservation in the United States, and it relies on a national donor base for its funding.

This partnership was established after a group of Nightingale students visited the school in March 2018. Nightingale returned in 2019, and will visit again as soon as overnight travel returns, following the pandemic. As stated in the mission, Nightingale is committed to developing girls to go beyond barriers and to become compassionate citizens. By partnering with Anpo Wicahpi, Nightingale is modeling to students what it means to “advance equity for the betterment of all.”This partnership was established after a group of Nightingale students visited the school in March 2018. Nightingale returned in 2019, and will visit again as soon as overnight travel returns, following the pandemic. As stated in the mission, Nightingale is committed to developing girls to go beyond barriers and to become compassionate citizens. By partnering with Anpo Wicahpi, Nightingale is modeling to students what it means to “advance equity for the betterment of all.”

“Running the New York City marathon was an incredible experience! It was truly an honor to participate and also to run and fundraise for Pine Ridge. The atmosphere and energy through all five boroughs on race day was amazing. A highlight for me was coming down 5th Avenue and seeing so many familiar faces from the Nightingale community,” Mr. Piper shared.

In addition, Class VIII held their own fundraising initiative this fall, “Class VIII Runs for Pine Ridge.” This event brought together the community engagement and athletic departments, along with the Office of Institutional Advancement, and served as a wonderful way to engage students about the importance of philanthropy and understanding what it means to give back. Class VIII Dean Claire Lulow noted, “This was an important moment of building leadership in Class VIII. They were the first ones to take this project on and set the tone for the younger grades to come. The athletic board reps and the community engagement board reps took a big lead in organizing the class and the fundraising pages and rallying everyone to get involved.”

Their efforts culminated in a “fun run” in Central Park, ultimately raising just over $4,000 for Pine Ridge via pledges for each ¼ mile ran/walked. Ms. Lulow continued, “I hope the kids took away the message that making a positive impact doesn't have to be something huge and transformative and Earth-shattering. It can be as simple as a walk in the park.”

Before launching their efforts, students called on the expertise of the Office of Institutional Advancement to learn the fundamentals of fundraising: identifying a clear cause, organizing inspirational messaging, executing a plan, and stewardship of donors. Director of Institutional Advancement Susan Mohi shared, “We wanted to teach students about fundraising, and plant the seed for what it means to give back. Having these kinds of conversations at an early age helps students truly see the difference they can make in the world. And who knows, maybe we’re cultivating some future development professionals at the same time!”

In total, Nightingale raised $28,870 for the Pine Ridge Girls School this fall.

Reflecting on his experience running on November 7, Mr. Ulibarri said. “It was my first marathon. I didn't know what to expect so I went for it. The energy of the runners and the crowd had me buzzing. After hitting ‘the wall’ at mile 22, I got a boost from a group of energetic Upper School students near the final stretch of 5th Ave just before entering Central Park. I am grateful for the tremendous support from Nightingale. I was surprised to discover how many seasoned marathon runners we have among the faculty and student families at Nightingale. More importantly, the generosity of my colleagues and the greater Nightingale community helped nearly double my fundraising goal in partnership with Pine Ridge Girls' School in South Dakota. Thank you!”