Donor Profile

Current Parent

Mike Schoenfeld

Current parents to Jade and Julia, Mike and Vali Schoenfeld have been ardent supporters of Watkinson from the first day their oldest daughter started in 7th grade. And in addition to their personal support, this year, their company, Manchester Tobacco and Candy will be a sponsor of A Watkinson Affair.

Michael shares why their family loves Watkinson and why they continue to support the school.

Both my girls went to a public school system that was highly rated and considered excellent. However, I noticed that the size of the classrooms were huge and felt their voices were getting lost, so I started exploring other options. My father, a Watkinson alumnus from the class of 1960, had a great experience; so as a family we decided to give this school a try. Once my children started their Watkinson experience, I only then realized how much they were previously missing. Watkinson offers my girls a place to learn in an advanced academic individualized setting with critical thinking. It also focuses on teaching my kids to be comfortable in their own skin while they learned how to be better human beings. My oldest, a senior this year, and going through the college application process during this unpredictable time, is finding comfort and success because of the school’s stellar college counseling support. All of this assists in their development into young adulthood. As a parent, I could not ask for anything more.

I feel so strongly about the positive impact that Watkinson has on my children and I want to make sure that this institution will continue to thrive the same way in the future. I want Watkinson to continue to help not just my children, but other future students the exact same way. By supporting the school through donations or personal time, this institution will be able to be here for generations to come.

Dealing with the COVID pandemic has changed many aspects of people’s lives. Our way of life has been altered. As we try to maneuver through this new terrain, assistance in many forms will be needed in many areas of society, including education. This year Watkinson celebrates 140 years of the progressive education that my family embraces, so Vali and I will be giving to both the Watkinson.Now. Campaign and A Watkinson Affair, which has always been a special event to celebrate the school. This year, more than any other year, the goal is higher and probably more difficult to attain. We want to support the Watkinson community and help a school that is continuously helping children. Consider joining us by giving to the campaign or becoming a sponsor of this amazing event.