Dr. Ted Burnett has a thriving, cutting-edge general and cosmetic dental practice in Westchester and has been a member of the CH Board of Directors since 2017. He has served on the Finance, Advancement, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Committees and is currently Head of the Building & Grounds Committee. Denise Burnett volunteered in a number of roles at Campbell Hall during the time their daughter, Madison ’20 was a CH student, including helping with the Bagpiper’s Ball.

“We’ve always seen the value in the Campbell Hall community and what we, as a family, received,” said Denise. “We watched our daughter grow and blossom, evolving in a space that allowed her to be better. We look for opportunities to be engaged because, even as parents of an alum, we continue to be committed to the community.” 

When then 8th grade student Madison heard Head of School Julian Bull encourage students in a middle school chapel to explore their interests, develop their voice, and try new things, she was inspired to pursue the sport of tennis, something she had long been curious about. Because Campbell Hall’s girls’ tennis team was highly-ranked in the state of California, Madison knew she had to do a lot of training prior to tryouts. That year, she worked independently to build her skills and by the fall of 9th grade, she made the girls’ JV tennis team where she continued to develop her athletic abilities. By 12th grade, Madison was playing on the Varsity team. 

“The team really gave her the chance to grow, build camaraderie, and connect with the athletic goals of the group,” explained Ted. “During CIF playoffs, we saw how all the members of the team supported each other, even if they themselves did not make it into the later rounds.”

The Burnetts feel the new Viking Tennis Center with its five championship tennis courts, will continue to attract top level players as well as help Campbell Hall sustain a high level of competitiveness. Teams will be able to practice on campus, eliminating the need to travel to off-campus courts which will save coaches and players time and streamline their athletic experience. Hosting games will also provide a home court advantage, allowing more Viking fans to cheer on and support the tennis teams. The Burnett family also feels that the league will see our new courts as a potential venue for playoff matches, further promoting the prestige of Campbell Hall.

Even though Madison, who is now a Junior at Georgetown University, will not directly benefit from the new Viking Tennis Center, it was important to the Burnett family to invest in its construction. “One of the keys to any educational institution is not only strong academics, it is also the athletics program and having facilities that represent the quality of those programs,” said Ted. “It will ultimately help drive the school forward. A Campbell Hall education will be worth more to all our families in the future than it is now because of all the things the school is doing today.” In acknowledgement of their generous $100,000 gift, Campbell Hall will name a tennis court in the Burnett family’s honor. 

“More than that,” Denise continued, “most of us donate to organizations that we love. And we love Campbell Hall. It’s a place where kids have the opportunity to find themselves, just as our daughter did. It’s a place that is good for the community and the world.”