the hub for human impact
a legacy of vision and action
$10,000,000
The Hub for Human Impact is the most ambitious academic initiative in La Jolla Country Day School’s history. This threestory, 20,000-square-foot learning commons will sit at the heart of campus and at the heart of our educational mission— empowering students of every age to connect knowledge to impact, and passion to purpose.
A Space Where Boundaries Fall Away
In The Hub, students won’t just prepare for the next test; they will prepare to design the future. Here, academic disciplines collide and collaborate. Design & Innovation, Citizenship, Media Literacy, Global Education, Service Learning, and Belonging all converge, giving rise to new ideas and solutions for the world’s most complex challenges.
The Bridge invites bold thinking, bringing students, educators, and ideas together in a flexible, light-filled space that sparks imagination.
The Courtyard will become a beloved campus gathering place, bringing generations of Torreys together to celebrate milestones and forge new connections.
Collaboration spaces encourage adaptability, with dynamic rooms that evolve with ideas, projects, and purpose. And at the top of it all, Community Hall will serve as the home for dialogue, presentation, and collective inspiration—a place where passion meets action.
Preparing Future Leaders, Together
Inside The Hub for Human Impact, students will master the essential capacities of tomorrow’s leaders:
Conceptual Integration: approaching challenges from multiple perspectives.
Skill Transfer: applying knowledge across disciplines with creativity and confidence.
Real-World Relevance: building solutions with tangible impact through hands-on experiences.
Be the Visionary Who Brings The Hub to Life
The Hub for Human Impact will stand for generations as a symbol of curiosity, courage, and commitment to a better future. What happens within its’ walls will inspire thousands of students to dream bigger, think deeper, and lead with purpose in a world that needs them.
“TellmeandI forget,teachme andImay remember, involvemeandI learn.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
endowment
sustaining access. fueling impact. inspiring the future.
$1,000,000 - $5,000,000
At La Jolla Country Day School, we believe that where students learn is just as important as what they learn. The Hub for Human Impact has been intentionally designed to offer a range of environments that mirror the dynamic, interconnected world students will one day lead:
Spaces to collaborate across disciplines
Spaces to focus and reflect
Spaces to dream and explore with curiosity
These flexible, human-centered environments will become launching pads for bold innovations and meaningful relationships. The reimagined Community Hall will host global speakers, thought leaders, and dynamic programming all under one roof.
But the true power of The Hub is unlocked through sustained investment. The Endowment for Innovation is the key to ensuring that these spaces remain vibrant, accessible, and alive with purpose for generations to come.
The visionary fund will:
Attract industry mentors and global voices through curated programs, visiting professionals, and real-world challenges guided by experts who push beyond the boundaries of traditional learning
The endowment will open doors literally on weekends and evenings, allowing LJCDS students and promising young innovators from across San Diego to continue their work, explore new ideas, and collaborate in a safe, inspiring environment.
Through unique partnerships to our neighbors in higher education, students will engage with UCSD, USD, and SDSU, in pre-college collaborations that nurture confidence, accelerate thinking, and ignite futures.
This is more than a building. Gifts to the endowment ensure that movement continues to grow, reach, and transform lives long after the doors first open and is a destination for innovation across our city, and a model for the nation.
“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change”
SHERYL SANDBERG
center for design & innovation
fueling ideas that shape the future
$5,000,000
The Center for Design & Innovation is the cornerstone of creativity, entrepreneurship and problem-solving at Country Day. Every year, hundreds of Torreys will step into this vibrant, purpose-built space to ideate, prototype, and bring ideas to life experiencing the thrill of discovery and the power of perseverance. In these walls, students learn not just how to build, but how to think boldly, iterate fearlessly, and create impact that reaches far beyond our campus.
A Launchpad for Innovation
This pioneering program, brought to LJCDS in 2015 by former Head of School, Gary Krahn, Ph.D., is where concepts become reality and students transform into designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. Students as early as kindergarten gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge tools and software, building confidence and capability through iterative projects. By Upper School, they are working at a professional level developing prototypes, pitching solutions, and building the skills that will carry them into college and the world beyond.
Impact Beyond Measure
Imagine the futures that will be created here. Startups will be sparked. Social impact solutions will be born. Patents may be filed. More importantly, students will leave this space with the mindset to tackle complexity, the skills to adapt, and the confidence to lead with creativity in every field imaginable.
A Legacy of Impact
Your name will be featured in dimensional lettering outside the Middle and Upper School center, leaving a permanent mark on our campus and within our community. The space is frequently toured by prospective families, notable guests, alumni, and conference attendees placing your name at the forefront of conversations about educational innovation both locally and nationally. Your name will be used interchangeably with the Center for Design & Innovation, and will become known as an influential leader in education.
“A movement starts with a clear vision of a world different than the one we live in today.”
SIMON SINEK
community hall at the hub
a space for voice, vision, and positive impact
$2,500,000
Community Hall is a place where students come not only to learn but to find and use their voices a space designed for listening, thinking, collaborative work and doing good. Community Hall will be located on the third floor of The Hub for Human Impact and is where students, faculty, alumni, professionals, and members of the global community gather as both participants and audience to engage in thought-provoking discussions and ideas that inspire.
A Place for Dynamic Engagement
Community Hall’s flexible, spacious design can transform to suit the atmosphere and needs of any event, from symposiums to intimate workshops. Whether hosting visiting leaders, entrepreneurs, or artists, this space empowers students to delve into the arts, engage in productive debate, and explore new perspectives, embodying what it means to be a Torrey.
A Hub for Community and Collaboration
Our goal is to extend the reach of this resource to the wider community, establishing Country Day as an inviting venue for conferences, presentations, performances and cross-institutional events that bring together bright minds. With planned partnerships with San Diego universities, and public K-12 schools, this dynamic space will serve students and faculty beyond LJCDS, connecting and collaborating with a diverse range of perspectives.
“Myhumanity isboundupin yours,forwe canonlybe human together.”
DESMOND TUTU
the courtyard
the heart of connection and celebration
$2,500,000
The Courtyard of The Hub for Human Impact is one of the most vibrant and beloved gathering spaces at La Jolla Country Day School. This central hub is more than just a passageway it’s the heart of campus life, where unplanned interactions spark collaboration, and meaningful conversations take root. Here, students of every age cross paths with educators, mentors, and each other, finding inspiration in spontaneous moments that so often lead to innovation and impact.
A Place for Celebration and Community
Throughout the year, the Courtyard comes alive with joyful community gatherings:
Alumni celebrations honoring the accomplishments of Torreys who go on to change the world
School-wide events filled with laughter, music, and shared purpose
Conferences and faculty luncheons, where ideas and best practices are exchanged
Outdoor learning moments, where lessons extend beyond classroom walls and curiosity flourishes
The Most Used Space on Campus
From morning until evening, the courtyard is filled with life: children’s laughter between classes, collaborative group work, and celebrations that bring our entire community together. Few places on campus hold as much energy, joy, and collective memory as this open-air forum. It’s where friendships are formed, milestones are marked, and future visions are born.
impact programs
the heart of the hub
$1,000,000 each
Inside The Hub for Human Impact, innovation doesn’t exist in silos—it thrives at the intersections. We’ve created intensional collision spaces where our most forward-thinking programs converge to break boundaries, ignite collaboration, and accelerate meaningful change.
Where Progress Takes Place
Rather than separate students by discipline, The Hub brings together a powerful collection of programs designed to address the world’s most pressing challenges. Each of these initiatives reflects a different dimension of human impact:
Global Education: The future starts with a global mindset.
Service Learning: The future starts with serving others.
Citizenship: The future starts with leaders of character.*
Media Literacy: The future starts with analytical thinking.
Belonging: The future starts with connection.
These programs share space and purpose within dynamic, flexible environments built to encourage spontaneous collaboration and sustained exploration. Students gather to debate real-world issues, pitch ideas, design prototypes, and cocreate solutions that blend disciplines and stretch imaginations.
The second floor of The Hub will house these impact programs, each a $1 million opportunity. They power the heartbeat of this building. It will be a place where Torreys prepare not just for school, but for life, and where innovation meets empathy, knowledge meets action, and futures take flight.
*All gifts to support the Citizenship program up to $500,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a generous family who believes in the power of this program for our students. All gifts above $25,000 towards this match will be recognized on a joint plaque within the center.
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
JACKIE ROBINSON
torreyworks where passion meets impact
$1,000,000
TorreyWorks is the dynamic home for Middle and Upper School Design & Innovation a space where ideas take flight, collaboration fuels creativity, and students bring their visions to life. Whether hosting multiple classes at once, offering a flexible hub for independent projects, or transforming into a venue for working conferences and cross-disciplinary teamwork, TorreyWorks is the beating heart of design and innovation at LJCDS.
A Space for Learning, Experimenting, and Creating
In this ever-evolving workshop, students develop essential skills in design thinking, problem-solving, and technical craftsmanship, preparing them for a future where adaptability and creativity drive success.
This is where:
Collaboration thrives as students work side by side whether in formal class settings or during open work sessions to bring ideas to life.
Interdisciplinary innovation happens, with students from Theater Tech and Design & Innovation teaming up to construct elaborate sets, or aspiring engineers and entrepreneurs prototyping new inventions.
Hands-on learning transforms theory into practice, as students refine concepts through 3D printing, digital fabrication, woodworking, and electronics prototyping.
Seminars and conferences bring experts and thought leaders into the space, further expanding learning beyond the classroom walls.
Preparing Torreys for the Future
TorreyWorks is more than just a classroom it’s a launchpad. It’s where students develop technical fluency, creative confidence, and the ability to problem-solve in real time. It’s a space that mirrors the collaborative environments found in top universities and cutting-edge industries, ensuring that LJCDS graduates are prepared to lead, innovate, and make an impact.
“Wisdom begins in wonder.”
SOCRATES
the wondery
empowering our youngest innovators
$1,000,000
Imagine a space where our youngest students not only learn but also actively create, solve, and build a place that fosters resilience, problem-solving, and perseverance from an early age. The Lower School Design and Innovation program at La Jolla Country Day School is a key element of our educational mission, laying the foundation for critical life skills that will serve our students throughout their lives. The Wondery is our youngest Torreys’ space to learn how to collaborate, fail forward and build resilience for a lifetime.
A Hands-On Approach to Learning and Growth
Beginning in kindergarten, our students dive into the exciting world of design and technology. They explore simple machines, learn basic coding, discover how shapes create positive and negative space, and learn key skills of resilience and collaboration. As they advance, they engage with tools like 3D printers and laser cutters, designing their own models, building machines, and learning to embrace and overcome challenges. These hands-on experiences encourage entrepreneurial thinking, resilience, and a growth mindset, all while fostering a collaborative environment that celebrates creativity and innovation.
Building the Skills of Tomorrow, Today
Torreys gain essential technical and educational skills at The Wondery, from basic engineering to the art of problemsolving and teamwork. With each project, they learn how to navigate between different systems a vital skill they will use throughout their lives. Our educators inspire students to tackle challenges confidently, transforming failures into opportunities to learn and grow.
“Thefuture belongsto thosewho prepareforit today.”
MALCOLM X
the gallery
showcasing student innovation
$500,000
The Gallery is the gateway to our impact programs. It’s where our student and alumni achievements are displayed and celebrated for all to see. The Gallery at La Jolla Country Day School will be a vibrant, flexible venue where art, design, and innovation intersect, fostering inspiration and connection for the entire community.
A Dynamic Space for Connection
The Gallery can transform effortlessly from a casual collaboration space into a sophisticated centerpiece for formal school gatherings. Designed to be a welcoming environment for conversation and connection, it’s where students, faculty, and guests can gather for discussions, showcases, and immersive events that inspire exploration and the exchange of ideas.
A Celebration of Student Success
At the heart of the gallery lies the Student Accomplishment Wall, an evolving display that features in-progress and completed works across disciplines arts, science, and innovation. This wall is a visual journey through the creativity and ingenuity of our students, showcasing their explorations, accomplishments, and their impact on our school and community.
A Display of Alumni Pride
Our Torreys’ contributions to a better future will be on full display, inspiring all who visit to see how our students are pushing the boundaries of education and human impact.
“Thebestway topredictthe futureisto createit.”
ALAN KAY
the grove
where play, connection, and community take root
$500,000
At La Jolla Country Day School, growth happens everywhere not just in classrooms, but in the joyful moments between them. The Middle School Lawn is the heartbeat of student life, a wide-open space where laughter rings out, friendships blossom, and our indoor/outdoor spirit of education comes to life.
This named lawn will welcome students, families, and visitors alike, offering a vibrant first impression of our Middle School community. It is a place where the rhythms of school life arrival, recess, sports, spontaneous play, and celebration unfold naturally and memorably.
A Center for Joyful Learning
From soccer and gaga ball to basketball and quiet gatherings under the sun, this lawn nurtures every part of a young person’s development: physical, social, emotional, and imaginative. It is where students move, dream, and connect living out the values of teamwork, resilience, and joy. The Lawn is also a vital extension of The Hub, a threshold where creativity, collaboration, and community flow easily between indoor spaces and the great outdoors.
A Place for Everyday Magic
This is where a student’s first out in gaga ball sparks confidence.
Where a game of tag becomes the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Where teachers greet students with smiles and where community gatherings feel as natural as a breeze across the grass.
A Legacy of Play and Possibility
Woven into the everyday memories of Torreys who run, play, imagine, and grow here, the Grove will symbolize the importance of balance: work and play, focus and freedom, movement and meaning.
