CMU School of Drama


Monday, September 02, 2019

At 13, He's TDF's Youngest Donor

Theatre Development Fund – TDF: At TDF, we're proud to attract a diverse array of generous donors. But this past spring was the first time we ever had a seventh grader call our office offering to give us money!

For a class project at the Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Palo Alto, California, 13-year-old Val Zvinyatskovsky was assigned to find a nonprofit he wanted to support. He knew immediately that whatever organization he chose would have something to do with theatre.

1 comment:

Alexa Janoschka said...

Kids like Val make me question what I did at his age. I'm only 18 but it's crazy to think that 7th graders are impacting the world at such a young age, I get that he probably had a bit of help with the things he does but still. Like the organization that Val donated to, my high school put on sensory performances for children, and adults, that don't typically get to attend the theater. It was a great experience to realize that something as easy as sitting down and watching a show can be almost impossible for some people. I've been involved in theater since I was in 6th grade and over time I discover more and more about how important theatre and the arts are. I don't personally donate to any theater organizations (just because I don't work full time and I donate my time to the theater productions I am in) Val reminded me that there are still a lot of people that don't understand the importance of theater and the arts. Society is so quick to donate to cancer research, food organizations, etc (and rightfully so) but we often forget that there are many other outlets to bringing lasting impacts on the world. Hopefully, I get to work on productions that aren't just for a resume but rather designed to make a lasting impact on a community.