Why We Give: Family Stories

“Ten fingers? Ten toes?” Those are the first questions many parents ask in the delivery room. The answers don’t change how you’ll raise your child, but they bring relief. You’re a parent now—your job is to make sure your child is healthy, safe, and thriving.

But then comes a question that really can shape your child’s future: “Has Owen ever been tested for ADHD or dyslexia?”

It was the end of second grade, just days before the onset of COVID. Owen’s teacher told us that he struggled to sit still and stay focused, and she recommended an evaluation. We were stunned. Did she have the right child? The boy we saw at home was a laser-focused Lego contractor.

He played violin in the school orchestra and Gaston in our community theater’s production of The Little Mermaid. He conducted science experiments in the kitchen and built complex inventions out of cardboard and spare parts from our garage. He even idolized Thomas Edison!

Still, we kept an open mind and scheduled the evaluation. For the first time, we were faced with something we hadn’t planned for—something that could affect Owen’s learning, confidence, and, most importantly, his happiness.

With an official diagnosis, we leaned on the public school system. We were grateful for caring teachers and a well-crafted IEP, but Owen still came home exhausted from navigating noisy hallways and being pulled in and out of classrooms for support. “What’s wrong?” we would ask, hoping he could articulate the missing piece we hadn’t figured out yet. Several teachers quietly admitted they wished they could do more. And like Owen, we were tired, frustrated, and disheartened.

We knew we had to do better. And we did. From the moment we stepped onto the CBA campus, we knew it was different. This was a school that valued not only education but the individual. Small classes. Teachers who embraced challenges rather than avoided them. A culture built to unlock potential—not just raise test scores. At last, we’d found the missing piece: a school that understood Owen’s learning differences and celebrated his strengths. Most importantly, Owen was happy.

Since joining CBA, Owen has thrived. He was elected Lower School President his first year, cohosted the spring concert, had artwork chosen for display at MOCA and won a Science Academic Award. Perhaps, most meaningful of all, he has made real friendships and comes home with a glint in his eye.

So now, instead of asking “What’s wrong?” we ask, “What’s next?”

Families arrive at the doors of Chesapeake Bay Academy for so many reasons. Every
family has their own story of how they got here and why they stay. Meet the Scott family.

How did you find out about CBA?
A friend recommended CBA to us and initially Peyton just went to the summer program. She liked it and so we decided to give it a shot. After Covid, you know, it had been difficult to find a place where she could attend school in a non-virtual setting. We knew that virtual doesn’t work for Peyton; she
needs in-person interaction. So, we picked CBA.

How do you feel CBA is helping Peyton achieve her academic and personal goals?
Number one, her teachers recognize that she is differently-abled, so they help her use the skills that she has best to maximize her potential. Another big part of it is accountability and being responsible. CBA helps her socialize with other kids. She loves the school and feels like she fits in well. She likes going to school, which is important, right? You want your kids to want to go to school instead of feeling like they have to go every day. Instead of just going out of a sense of obligation, you want them to go because they want to get something out of it. And I think that’s where Peyton is.

How has Peyton attending CBA impacted your family?
We have seen a difference in her maturity and her confidence. You know, she’ll even say, “I’m smart”. I’ve seen her mature over these last couple years and become much more confident. Her ability to understand what she needs, advocate, and speak up for herself has gotten better. And that’s what I like best.

Your family has been very generous with your time and your support for CBA. What would you say to someone considering donating and supporting our school?
Well, I think resources play a big role in success. If you have a great idea without the resources, then it’s difficult to get it done. So, I think CBA has the right idea. The school needs continued support so they can keep and attract the right people and resources on campus. If you choose to donate to CBA, you will definitely see a return on your investment through academic achievement, socialization, and confidence for kids.

Sharing Thanksgiving dinner is a family tradition across America. Family members from near and far come together to enjoy the comforts of a delicious meal, perhaps followed by watching a little football or the newest movie release.
For the Levin family, Thanksgiving is a very special celebration, with its own tradition that began many decades ago. Over the years, the tradition has grown in meaning as sons and daughters married and had children of their own, expanding the family circle. For the Levins, like many others, it is a time where shared religious beliefs and family values are celebrated. So, before the feasting on turkey and all the trimmings begins, the family gathers around the table. One by one, each member shares what they are most grateful for and what they have done over the past year to help others. In this way they reaffirm their long-held belief that it doesn’t matter your age or position in life, you can always give through service to others; that it is incumbent upon all of us as citizens to make life better and to think beyond ourselves. The discussion ends with the youngest of the family being encouraged to find a cause or organization that is meaningful to them and get involved.

It is clear, the Levin family leads by example. The children of the late Eugene “Buddy” Levin and wife Betty were mentored in community leadership and philanthropy from their youth. Buddy and Betty supported numerous organizations, with education-related efforts at the forefront. Betty, the now 94-year-old family matriarch, believes that education is the key to success and a life well-lived. Betty holds a very special place for CBA in her heart for helping her granddaughter, Sarah (class of 2012), reach her potential, and for all of the students whose lives have been transformed by a CBA education.

Nancy Levin, daughter of Betty, cherishes the Thanksgiving tradition with family. Even as a child, her philanthropic mindset was being cultivated. She began her long history of giving by sharing a portion of her allowance to plant trees in Israel. Nancy especially recalls a trip with her father to attend the US Open Tennis Tournament in New York. Though many years have passed, she can still recall the following quote at the base of a statute of Arthur Ashe: “From what we get, we can make a living. What we give, however, makes a life.”

CBA is grateful to the Levin family who have looked beyond themselves to share their time, talent and treasure with our community.

When you have a child who learns differently, the early years are often spent sitting through evaluations, assessments, and IEP meetings where the focus is placed squarely on deficits. We were those parents. We have reams and reams of documents comparing our son to baselines and graphs. And honestly, we were weary with being told what didn’t measure up. We knew Thomas had challenges, but we also knew in our heart of hearts, that he also had great potential. So was the challenge all his to conquer, or was it for us to find a key to unlock what we knew was there?

And the answer was both. We had always planned to keep Thomas in public school through fifth grade. Third grade had been somewhat of a struggle, he often came home shut down and exhausted – going into “cocoon mode,” as we called it. We planned to attend a CBA open house in the summer of July 2022, knowing that CBA was a possibility for down the road. Open house turned into a private tour with and then a mad dash to get all of our application materials in so Thomas could begin his fourth grade year at CBA. That visit, and Thomas’ two-day preview during the summer program (which turned into a week because he wanted to keep going) were all that it took. We knew CBA was where he needed to be.

Last September, when the first event of the year rolled around, the Fun Run, he actually
asked to participate with his friends. As parents, this was mind-blowing to us on two fronts: first, because it was an outsideof-school-hours activity he asked to do; and second, because he wanted to participate with FRIENDS. The friendships that have grown amongst his classmates have been amazing to watch. And for us, the connections we have made with other parents have been so affirming – we, too, have a whole new tribe of friends. Since that first school event, it has been our pleasure to participate in the Annual
Auction & Gala and Fund-A-Cause. Thomas’ grandparents, all retired educators, have equally recognized the strides Thomas has made since coming to CBA, and have come on board to participate in Grandfriends Day and the CBA Golf Tournament. These are all events that we, as a family, plan to participate in for years to come. With each initiative to which we are able to contribute, we know our investment supports an extraordinary group of educators teaching a phenomenal group of students with a unique and tailored educational experience that can be found nowhere else. It is difficult to put adequate words to what CBA means to our family. For the first time, Thomas is in a learning environment that plays to his strengths, makes common-sense accommodations and nurtures emerging skills each and every day. The teachers and staff have taken a child that was truly in academic and sensory survival mode, and brought out a student who loves learning, is willing to try new things and is finding hidden talents. Thomas eagerly jumps in the car at pick-up to tell us everything he did that day and what new things he learned. Gone are the days of “cocoon mode,” our child has found his wings.

The Goldmeier’s joined the CBA community in fall of 2021 when their granddaughter Parker enrolled in our lower school. From day one, Bitsy and Michael have played active roles as school volunteers, event attendees and generous donors. We are grateful for the entire family and asked them to share their story.

How did your family find CBA for your granddaughter, Parker?
We found CBA through an internet search. Bitsy spoke with Parker’s doctor who was associated with CBA and thought it would be a great school for Parker. We talked with several friends who had family members attend CBA and had the highest regards for all aspects of the school.

How do you think CBA is different from other schools that Parker has attended?
CBA cares so much about children thriving in life, not just advancing to the next grade but being able to fit into society as mature adults. Also, the teachers learned what Parker’s knowledge level was in each subject and built skills from there, so she feels so much more confident in moving forward. The subject that was hardest for her and she disliked the most is now her favorite subject!

How has Parker’s attendance at CBA impacted your family?
It has given her so much more self-confidence with who she is as a person. The work that CBA has done with her life skills and social skills elevated her self-esteem to a point where she no longer feels the persistent need to be confrontational with family members. Now our family can all be together and enjoy one another. Our family dynamics are so much more peaceful and happier now!

You and Michael have been generous with your time, talents, and treasurers. Why do you feel it’s important to support CBA?
CBA “saved” our granddaughter from just being a number on a spectrum, and a child who was going to slip through the cracks in public school. We feel we owe CBA everything we possibly can give not only to help Parker but to help other children like Parker. CBA is a godsend to so many families, and we want to help ensure that CBA continues to thrive and grow just like Parker has.

Our son, Benny, came to CBA in 3rd grade. He struggled in the traditional public school setting and had difficulty socially. He walked through the front doors of CBA October 22, 2012 and never looked back. Benny is now in 10th grade and continues to thrive. Small class size, individualized instruction and emphasis on social-emotional learning sets CBA apart from any other school. We work as a team with teachers and staff with one goal in mind – Benny’s success. Our family gives to CBA because it has changed the trajectory of our son’s life and for that, we will be forever grateful.

You may recognize seeing me around CBA, but I’m not just the Director of Development…I’m also a parent! Our family’s story is a familiar one. Dustin and I both were working full time and our son was struggling to succeed in a big classroom at a traditional school. While working at CBA, I saw the impact our teachers made each day with your students and knew that it was the place for Bryson. Fast forward a bit – he is thriving and learning! Our family gives to CBA because it has changed our lives and put Bryson on a path of roaring success.

We give because we LOVE CBA and can’t imagine a better education for our son! After an extremely tough kindergarten year at a local private school, we were lucky enough to find out about CBA! We took a tour, and it was love at first sight. We’ve been at CBA for 4 years, and we feel like if we could have created a school for Dean ourselves, it would be CBA. The school treats Dean as an individual, and while the education is impressive, the school’s ability to assist students with other aspects of becoming good citizens is what we cherish most.

We give because we understand the importance of a great education! Having a solid foundation at the start of the life long learning process is key to achieving any goal set in the future. CBA from our experience makes learning fruitful and the teachers are well tuned to each student learning needs. We love CJ’s teachers and we appreciate the genuine care they give to our most precious jewel.

Our daughter Mackenzie and is in the 7th grade. We have been part of the CBA family since she was in the 3rd grade. We love CBA and the opportunities it has afforded Mackenzie. We knew the second we walked in the front doors that this was her home. We give to afford others the same sense of homemade family.