“I pay tuition, so why am I being asked to give?” We hear you. It’s a fairly common question that’s asked at independent schools everywhere. The truth is, philanthropy plays an extremely important role in helping schools such as Saint Stephen’s maintain and reach for even greater levels of excellence. Without that support, we wouldn’t be the world-class school that your child experiences every day. The generosity of our donors allows us to offer many of the programs that set us apart and, perhaps, were the reason that you chose Saint Stephen’s over other options in the first place. As we prepare for our annual Giving Week (Nov. 11-15), we invite you to join us to learn more about the school’s current fund-raising programs in an info session on Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 8-9 a.m. in the Upper School Board Room. When you leave, we hope that you’ll be able to answer that pesky question for yourself and others! Refreshments will be served. Everyone in attendance will receive a special discount code for 25% off merchandise in the online Falcon Gear Store. We’ll also draw for a pair of tickets to the Suncoast Food & Wine Fest in Lakewood Ranch on Nov. 9!