Heartful

History Teacher Amanda Vos Strache was raised with a deep sense of gratitude. As a faculty kid at the Episcopal Academy, she saw firsthand what it meant to be given the opportunity to attend an incredible school because of the generosity of others. That experience taught her the importance of giving back.

Today, as a faculty member at Peddie, Vos Strache supports The Peddie Fund for many reasons, beginning with her gratitude for all the school has given her and for all it provides to her students and her family. “Giving is a small but meaningful way to say thank you, and to show the wider community that the faculty believes in Peddie’s mission and trusts in the people leading us.”

But her reasons extend beyond gratitude. Giving is also about inspiration. Vos Strache is inspired every day by the community around her, starting with the students who arrive here, and how thoughtfully the admissions team responds to inquiries, builds a balanced community, ensures our classrooms are full, our fields are active and our students are both enthusiastic and intellectually curious.

She is also inspired by her colleagues, whose hard work, focus and care for students are evident every day. “I see it every single day, in so many ways,” she said.

And supporting The Peddie Fund is also about trust: “I trust the decisions being made at the highest levels — by the board, by the administration. When I give, even if it’s a small donation, I know it’s going to be used in a way that’s best for the school.”

Reflecting on how The Peddie Fund supports transformational experiences at Peddie, Vos Strache shared exciting news about the work currently underway in the History Department to revamp the freshman curriculum. While looking at best practices for students in 2025 and beyond, the new content reinforces the importance of history by keeping the ancient relevant to the present, examining examples of citizenship past and present, and making connections that foster more fruitful conversations in the classroom.

“The Peddie Fund makes this kind of work possible,” she said. “Whether that’s going to conferences or providing stipends for curriculum development, it gives us the tools to keep evolving and growing.”

For Vos Strache, any donation is a statement of belief that tells students, faculty and our wider community: I believe in what’s happening at Peddie. She finds it especially meaningful when current parents, already deeply involved in their children’s experience, go a step further and contribute financially, enabling faculty and coaches to do more and be more for their students.

“When you’re intellectually fueled and living in such an amazing space, it’s hard not to feel grateful. There are so many mornings when I walk from Green to the History House, and I just feel incredibly blessed,” she said.