For the Love of Humankind
For the Love of Humankind
Evan Wildstein, Advancement Director
I want you to take a brief journey with your imagination. Visualize Houston without its 600+ parks and green spaces. Without its thriving arts and cultural scene. Without its hugely critical nonprofit ecosystem. Now, imagine closer to home. Visualize the Post Oak School—both campuses. Imagine teachers without expert Montessori training. Imagine families without financial aid. Imagine the Bissonnet Campus without the back-field turf or safety fence. Imagine the Museum District Campus…not being there at all.
If you’ve been in Houston—or at Post Oak—any time at all, you probably can’t imagine all of that, let alone any of that. And do you know why? Because it’s all part of the fabric of Houston. A fabric made largely possible by one specific thing.
Philanthropy.
Philanthropy comes from the Greek words philein (“to love”) and anthropos (“humankind”). It is an act of giving that stems from one’s love for humanity. Here at Post Oak, you may think of philanthropy simply as your annual donation to the Post Oak Fund. Or your support of the gala or golf tournament. For those gifts, the school can never express enough gratitude.
However, philanthropy is also a gift of time, talent, and other things. Post Oak parents and families contribute their energy to their child’s classes as room parents, during monthly POPA work days, volunteering for community service, and through countless other acts. Whether they have one hour per week or one hour per school year, they show up because they believe in this institution.
There’s a history and science to this—one that’s unique to the United States. In the mid-19th century, French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about the American spirit of sacrifice, generosity, and our belief in strong societal institutions. He was on to something. More recent research confirms altruism is fantastic—for the receiver and the giver.
Giving is an output that significantly influences outcomes. I recently heard our Head of School, Maura Joyce, say something profound and simple: “What we do here is prepare students for their future, not our past. We teach them to learn how to learn.” As a staff member and parent, I couldn’t agree more. And when I speak with the hundreds of parents, grandparents, and others who traverse both campuses, they all share Maura’s sentiment—and it is the fundamental reason they are philanthropic with Post Oak, in all the different ways.
That spirit is infectious and deeply embodied by Post Oak students, too. Since I arrived at the school this past summer, I’ve had the great pleasure of speaking with Upper Elementary classes about the idea of philanthropy. Those students jump at the chance to share their love of humankind by creating small, yet comprehensive, fundraising projects to support vital nonprofit organizations in the Houston area—like Galveston Bay Foundation.
When I asked a particular group of students why they chose this idea and the Foundation, I was enamored with their response.
“The Foundation takes care of animals and marine life in Galveston, and if all that is better and safe, then we will be better and safe.”
It seems the Post Oak student apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
This is the essence of what makes Post Oak, and Houston, so remarkable. It’s a community where philanthropy is more than an act. It’s a shared belief in shaping a better future. As we look ahead, the lessons our students are learning now—about generosity, connection, influence, and learning how to learn—will guide them as they become the changemakers of tomorrow.
That’s the beauty of philanthropy. It doesn’t only sustain the present, it builds the future. So let’s keep imagining, giving, and growing together. For the love of humankind.
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