Above: Jackson D. Breaks II ’58

Jackson’s daughter, Katherine ’87, confirms this statement. “I have extremely fond memories of my Exeter experience, and my decision to attend, as well as my brother’s, cemented our family connection to the Academy. My father returned not only for his reunions, but also for important events in which my brother and I participated. I think it helped him see how the school had changed between his time and ours. He liked that the Academy had become co-ed and that there were more students of different financial backgrounds and ethnicities than when he attended.”

In honor of their strong familial regard for Exeter and in an effort, as Jackson explains, “to take the Academy a little step closer to becoming essentially need blind,” he, daughter Katherine and son Anthony ’94 have recently established the Breaks Family Scholarship Fund. The Breaks Family Scholarship will be awarded yearly to any student of need who exemplifies able intelligence, mature focus and avid curiosity.

“Exeter is such a special place that is only going to admit very special youngsters,” explains Jackson. “It would be a shame if an applicant with everything necessary to be admitted got turned away simply because she or he lacked the resources to attend. Anthony agrees. “All students and the Academy benefit from admission decisions that are based on ability, character and maturity rather than means.”

Katherine hopes the Breaks Family Scholarship will assist Exeter in its mission to open doors and create opportunities that qualified students might not otherwise have. “I envision our scholarship providing seed money, similar to what someone needs when she or he is starting a business. I hope our family scholarship will provide the seed money that a student can use to attend the Academy and then parlay that experience into a satisfying career.”

“My family’s tremendous experience at Exeter,” says Anthony “was in great part due to the generosity of previous donors, which permitted the Academy to recruit a diverse student body rich with ability rather than rich enough to afford tuition. By setting up this fund, we reinforce this tradition.”

Jackson says that when he first began considering making a scholarship gift to the Academy, he initially focused on the possibility of doing a bequest. “There are merits to making a bequest,” he says, “but, after consulting with my children, we ultimately decided to create the fund in the present. It gives us a chance to meet the kids who benefit from our scholarship and follow how they do. Ultimately, we felt this would be more fulfilling and meaningful.”