Head of School Christopher Nikoloff publicly announced today that a generous donor would match up to $10 million for contributions to the new Upper School Event Center.

A week ago on April 21, Upper School parents Jeffrey and Marieke Rothschild committed to matching donations towards the Event Center project, which includes constructions for a new gym and performing arts building. The family is willing to contribute up to $10 million for every dollar raised in the fundraiser.

Nikoloff initially mentioned this offer at the teacher’s faculty meeting and Head of School Celebration Wednesday night.

The $10 million proposal would be the largest gift to the capital campaign in the school’s history, apart from the Nichols family donation of the Saratoga campus.

“People will hear it and perceive this as a gift, but it really is a challenge,” Executive Director of Advancement Joe Rosenthal said.

The Rothschilds chose to propose the idea not only due to their beliefs in Harker’s whole-mission approach as a school to educating students, but also to inspire everyone to contribute to this important cause.

An email sent out to all faculty, students, and parents this morning outlined the details of the plan and addressed the process of donations. It included a video communicating the opinions of members of the community on the new Event Center.

“This exciting and historic matching gift validates Harker’s whole-mission approach in preparing our students for success,” wrote Nikoloff.

If the challenge is met, the project will reach completion a year in advance, allowing availability for the new facilities to the current freshmen, who may then utilize the constructions during their senior year.

The new buildings affect primarily athletes and performing arts students who are currently required to travel to the Blackford campus for gym and theatre use. Performing Arts Director Laura Lang-Ree commented on the convenience of the new facilities and their simplification to student life on campus.

Similarly, Head of Upper School and basketball Coach Butch Keller also recognizes the benefit that this will have on the entire school as a whole.

“The entire community is going to be so positively effected by this gift and because it’s a challenge it brings everyone together,” he said. “As a basketball coach, I couldn’t be happier.”

Basketball player Jordan Goheen (9), who will get the opportunity to practice in the gym during his senior year, showed enthusiasm for the upcoming new facility.

“It’ll be really cool,” he said. “The gym now is too small so we can’t really practice here.”

Pledges can be made here from now until the beginning of the upcoming 2014 to 2015 school year. These amounts can be paid off all at once or throughout the given time period of the 2014, 2015, and/or 2016 tax years.