Hutchison School
Hutchison School is a college preparatory school for girls located in Memphis, Tenn. In 2010, The Board of Trustees and Head of School, Annette Smith reevaluated the strategic plan and decided that they would dedicate themselves to becoming a “private school with a public purpose.”
The Wilson Society
One program that emerged from that discussion in 2010 was the Wilson Society. Funded by the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, the program focuses solely on establishing and maintaining strong partnerships with nonprofits in the Memphis community.
Each year more than 100 tenth through twelfth grade girls participate in the Wilson Society. In the beginning of each year, participating girls research and identify a need in the community, interview a nonprofit that deals with that need and eventually design a self-sustaining project to benefit the community. At the end of this process, the girls find themselves either initiating a new service project or electing to work on and enhance a project that is already in place at Hutchinson.
After the girls design their project or propose enhancements to a current project and come up with a proposed budget, they present their proposals to a group of Faculty and Staff for approval. Projects are chosen based on their merits, their depth and also on their sustainability.
With sustainability a major goal of this program, The Wilson Society has created a system where there are often girls from all three grades participating on each project. That way, the leader of the project (often a senior) has had two years to build a strong relationship with the non-profit and create a sense of continuity for the program. Not only does this process help sustain the projects, but it also allows for increased trust and better relationships between the nonprofits and Hutchison.
Philanthropic Literacy Board
The Hutchison Community Service Endowment Fund offers a unique 21st century learning experience for upper school girls at Hutchison. Through direct involvement with the decision making processes that accompany managing a grant dispersal fund, girls develop skills in financial literacy and a lifelong understanding of the powerful responsibilities that come with how and why particular projects and organizations receive funding. The goal of the Community Service Endowment Fund is to generate interest income distributed to Memphis-area nonprofits. Girls administering the grants serve on the Philanthropic Literacy Board and work with The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis to make wise investments, solicit requests for proposals, evaluate applicants, and manage the grants once they are awarded.
Rogers Scholars
The Rogers Scholars is an application-based organization of juniors and seniors, selected based on their interest in learning more about the policy issues in Memphis, as well as their leadership capacity. With an emphasis on experiential learning focusing on Memphis issues, history, and culture, this program empowers the girls to consider, reflect, and discuss options, solutions, and action plans relating to topics such as food insecurity, healthcare, education reform, poverty, and social justice. Throughout the year, the Rogers Scholars cohort meets with leadership teams from local nonprofit organizations, as well as community leaders and involved citizens, to better understand complex issues that girls can then confront with confidence and compassion.
Center for Excellence
Started in 2004 as the Arts Academy, the Center for Excellence offers community learning at Hutchison. The Center for Excellence shares Hutchison's tradition of excellence with the greater Memphis community through offerings in academics, arts, athletics, education, and leadership. Instructors in each of the Center's six components strive to awaken and inspire artists, athletes, and scholars and to engage leaders, educators, and parents in thought-provoking experiences. Last year 9,500 students and adults from over 100 public, private, and charter schools came to Hutchison to participate in the available workshops, classes, and events.
Educator Institute
The Educator’s Institute offers a series of conferences, workshops, and discussions for public, private and charter teachers from the greater Memphis area.