History of Giving
Compassionate acts have been part of the fabric of LAS since its founding and have played a considerable role in the continued expansion and enhancement of our school. In 2001, LAS took the first step toward formalizing its culture of philanthropy by establishing the LAS Educational Fund for the Future, Inc., a US 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. Four years later, the Ott Family took the next step and established the Foundation for the Advancement of International Education with the most generous donation in the schools history.
The Foundation, an independent Swiss charity, was established to provide grants, scholarships, and financial assistance to deserving students, and to help fund other projects beneficial to LAS. Thanks to the generosity of our founding family, each year the Foundation and LAS provide over 3 million CHF in scholarship support and grants to around 40 students, including 9 of our last 10 valedictorians, while also continuing to transform our physical spaces into world-class facilities. The Ott family’s generosity was the groundwork for the building of a culture of philanthropy at LAS. The following are several of our most transformational acts of generosity.
The Fred & Sigrid Ott Arts Center
Magic Mountain Athletic Center (MMAC)
A multi-level state of the art athletic facility and the darling of our Savoy campus. It houses a multi-purpose gymnasium, Walltopia climbing and bouldering wall, free weights, nautilus equipment, rowing machines, indoor running track, CrossFit section, changing rooms, a yoga studio, and Cafe 7. Funded through the Excellence through Action campaign, the 6 million + CHF facility was supported by donors from 24 different countries that included alumni, current & past parents, students, and faculty & staff.
The Theodore “Ted” Groom Memorial Scholarship
In 2013, LAS lost a beloved member of our community, Mr. Theodore “Ted” Groom. Mr. Groom was a colleague, dorm parent, friend, mentor, and teacher. In response to his untimely passing, a fundraising campaign was launched to create a five-year scholarship to honor his legacy. The response was a real tribute to Mr. Groom and the scholarship is now funded for at least a decade preserving his legacy for several generations of LAS students. The scholarship is awarded each spring to a returning student who exhibits Mr. Groom’s love of the outdoors, a spirit of adventure, commitment to service, and enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge.
Belle Époque Student Recreation Center - “La Cave”
One of our many student lounges, located on the Belle Époque Campus, provides an easily accessible and welcoming common space for our oldest students to unwind and socialize. The Cave was funded by the Lee Family with the intention of creating a location where friendships could be strengthened over a game of pool, ping pong, food, or drink in a safe and supervised environment.
Belle Époque Art Center
The beautiful Belle Époque Art Center with its panoramic view of the Rhone Valley and the Swiss and French Alps is home to our IB Art Programme, work space for visiting artists, and venue for artistic workshops provided to our students and faculty. The Center was funded by a generous donation from parents of a LAS student, now graduate. Past IB examiners have referred to it as the finest IB art space in Europe.