Friends of JAMS made possible the construction of a new dormitory, completed this past summer and ready for a new class in January.
A new dormitory on the JAMS campus is ready to welcome up to 70 girls when it opens in January. Funded by generous donations from the Friends of JAMS, the facility has been named after Friends of JAM’s longest-serving supporter, Dr. Jean Pierce.
“I always want the buildings to be named for women and their stories told to the girls so they can see that women can achieve great things,” explained JAMS founder Teresa Wasonga. “Jean was in my department at NIU and I’ve never known anyone as active, creative and supportive as she is. When she retired she joined the Friends of JAMS board and remains on it to this day. She personifies the ideals our girls need to look up to.”
Outfitting the new dorm was one of the top priorities in last spring’s Give DeKalb County campaign, and donors came through with funding for new beds and linens. In the meantime, JAMS students painted the entire facility, learning how to use a new mechanical paint sprayer along with traditional brushes and rollers.
The new dormitory is being named for Jean Pierce, the longest-serving member of the Friends of JAMS board and a dedicated supporter of the school.
The girls volunteered to paint the new dorm. They particularly enjoyed taking turns with a new mechanical paint sprayer.
With enrollment increasing to more than 200 students this coming year, the new dorm is a much-needed addition to the growing JAMS campus.