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Trinity Episcopal School is charting a course for its future with the launch of its new capital campaign — True North: Scholarship, Spirituality, Diversity, and Trinity Episcopal’s Next 25 Years.

True North, Trinity’s fourth capital campaign, was launched Friday, Sept. 19, in a celebration marking 25 years since the school’s ribbon-cutting.

“It’s our turn to ensure that the values that shaped the first 25 years continue to guide the next 25 years,” said John Laughlin, co-chair of the campaign along with Sommers Errington.

The priorities of the True North campaign are:

• Increased compensation for faculty and staff, and strengthening Trinity’s financial support program, both of which will be accomplished through an enhanced endowment
   
• Capital projects that will bring new technologies and capabilities to classrooms and other learning spaces around the campus

The launch of True North’s public phase was the culmination of nearly 2 years of work by the campaign steering committee.

“When we canvassed current and former parents and the community at large, everybody was very focused on maintaining and preserving what makes Trinity wonderful,” said Errington.

To achieve True North’s goals, the campaign will seek to raise $5 million.

Head of School Imana Sherrill announced at the launch celebration that $4.1 million had already been pledged toward True North.

Among the guests who helped mark this new chapter for Trinity was the founding Head of School, the Rev. Louis “Smokey” Oats, who led Trinity until his retirement in June 2011. “Father Smokey” reflected on the many pivotal moments that shaped Trinity in its early years, including the down-to-the-wire opening of the school as it scrambled to secure occupancy permits from Mecklenburg County, and the many founding families and employees who set Trinity into motion.

”My hope and prayer is that we - each of you who are now players in the life of this school today - will continue to honor the founders through our commitment to excellence and service and the Trinity Way,” Oats said.

Chief Advancement Officer Katie Keels applauded the campaign's “remarkable start.” 

“Together, we can close this final gap and carry Trinity into its next 25 years,” Keels said. “The path forward for Trinity points in one direction: True North.”

Learn more about True North by clicking here. To hear more from the campaign co-chairs and others, take a moment to watch the following video.