Courtney Lin loved her children deeply – the three she birthed as well as those she encountered through her passion for building communities through education. She also believed meaningful relationships developed across lines of division could transform lives and contribute to the flourishing of a city. This is why she chose to send her oldest child, Saige, to The Field School in Chicago, as a part of the founding first grade class in 2017. The teachers, families, and children of The Field School walked with Courtney’s family as she battled cancer in the following months. When Courtney passed away later that school year, her family invited friends to send gifts in honor of Courtney to help the school become established.
Four years later, The Field School has grown from 45 students in the initial year to 203 students today. The school brings together children of diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds, believing that the image of God within each person is a more powerful source of unity than any societal barrier of division. Its unique learning community is comprised of 29% African American, 18% Latino, 2% Asian American, 36% White, and 15% Multi-Racial students. Over half of the seats at the school each year are reserved for students who come from low-income backgrounds, and the school uses a sliding scale for tuition based on what families can pay, as 25% of families earn less than $30,000 per year and another 25% of families earn more than $130,000 per year. Through a classical education philosophy and Christ-centered approach, the community strives to be a place where the sharpening of mind, growth of heart, and cultivation of character thrive together.
To continue and deepen the impact of Courtney’s legacy, her family invites you to help establish the Courtney Lin Memorial Fund at The Field School. Inspired by the exhibit, “Mothers in Black and White,” acknowledging the unique challenges and potential faced by children as they grow, the family invites your partnership with students at The Field School. Raising $15,000 would help to cover the cost of education for three students at The Field School. The family hopes to eventually surpass this, however, to contribute toward subsidizing the tuition of a full class of students by reaching $110,000.
Courtney’s family seeks to broaden concepts of generosity in contributing toward this opportunity. Gifts of any size are welcome and appreciated for The Field School’s mission of advancing educational opportunities for black sons as well as beloved children of all backgrounds.