In an extraordinary demonstration of generosity, the Lewis-Sebrig Foundation has donated more than $2.5 million to the ETHS Foundation, which is earmarked for the expansion of the school’s arts and innovation wing. This donation, which follows a $7 million contribution from a separate donor, will remake the ETHS auditorium complex, will lay the foundation for a new and renovated arts wing at the school. The donation will primarily help fund a new exhibition room and art gallery next to the renovated auditorium, which will be named the “Lewis-Sebrig Gallery.”

 In total, the Evanston Township High School Foundation and ETHS have been given and pledged well over $9 million, allocated in its entirety to the renovation of the arts wing. This $2.5 million donation was formally finalized on February 10 at a school board meeting. The donation will be transferred over three installments, the last of which will be completed in Q4 of 2026. The Lewis-Sebrig Foundation is a philanthropic non-profit that has a long track record of donations to institutions such as the YMCA and Northwestern, among numerous other youth organizations and education programs near Evanston. Charles Lewis, the head of the foundation, was an investment banker and subsequently served on the board of trustees for UChicago.

These donations came after the school board commissioned a study to evaluate the feasibility of a centennial renovation project. The project, named the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan), and created to celebrate the centennial of ETHS, has been soliciting donations from many of the major philanthropic non-profits in Evanston. The project is estimated to cost upwards of $48 million. 

With the significant amount of money that is required to get the CIP off the ground, ETHS and the Foundation have been focusing on securing donations from alumni, donors and community members who could make 7+ figure gifts in support of the CIP. 

However, even while this donation and others like it have proved invaluable for the CIP some students and teachers are questioning whether the capital and resources need to be spent on things that are not essentials for learning. 

“I appreciate what they are doing to highlight the artistic talents and creative minds that many of the students here possess,” says student Lev Mordka. “But I think that an amount of money that large could have been spent more productively elsewhere.” While the funds given by the Foundation were earmarked for this project, the ETHS Foundation has control over much of what they push the donations to be allocated for. This concern is also present among teachers at the school.

Other students are apprehensive about decreased auditorium attendance. 

“I think that it is a good thing that they are highlighting the arts, I just worry that the auditorium may see changes in attendance due to this,” Mordka said.

Ultimately, while the Lewis-Sebring Foundation’s generous donation marks a significant step in the right direction for the CIP, it has sparked important conversations about some of the financial priorities of the school. As ETHS pursues large-scale renovations and investment in the arts, balancing the donations the school receives will remain a key priority for both the teachers and executives of the school alike. Regardless of differing opinions, this donation and many others have shed light on the bright future of the arts program at ETHS and the century to come.