2026 Fund A Need
A Field Worthy of a Panther
DIVIDEROur Upper Field is one of the most critical spaces on the TMI campus — the stage for Founder's Day, the home of pep rallies and Pass in Review, a gathering place for outdoor events, and the competitive home of our soccer, lacrosse, football, and track & field programs. For generations of TMI students, this field is where school pride is felt, where memories are made, and where the spirit of our community comes to life.
But that field is showing its age. Years of intense, year-round use across numerous athletic programs, events, and 640 students — combined with the punishingly unpredictable Texas weather — have left us with a surface that is unreliable and in need of real transformation. What should be a source of pride has become a limitation. Our students deserve better. And together, we can build it.
Transformation of the Upper Field
Our goal is $2 million to complete a renovation of the Upper Field — a project that will serve every corner of our community for now and the future. Here is what that investment includes:
▸ Modern Field Turf: A safe, consistent, all-weather playing surface that eliminates the hazards of divots, mud, and worn patches — and ends weather-related cancellations that disrupt students, families, and programs alike.
▸ D-Zone Completion: The D-Zones are the curved end areas flanking the track that, when properly built out, allow our stadium to host sanctioned field events — long jump, high jump, shot put, pole vault, and more. Completing them transforms our venue into a true multi-event facility capable of hosting competitive meets, invitationals, and events right here on campus.
▸ Supporting Infrastructure: The grading, drainage, utilities, and site work that make a world-class surface possible and protect the investment for years to come.
A field that has brought our community together for generations. (Founder’s Day – early 2000s)
The same space, still serving the same traditions—decades later.
Used by every division, every grade, every year.
Friday nights that unite students, families, and alumni.
Where discipline, pride, and leadership are put on display.
A field that carries the weight of our traditions—and our future.
Where our entire campus gathers to celebrate, connect, and belong.
A central hub for school-wide traditions and milestone moments.
Home to ceremonies that define TMI's legacy and one of our signature programs.
A gathering place for spirit, pride, and Panther energy.
A field that works hard—but needs to work harder.
Who This Field Serves
This is not just an athletics project. The Upper Field is a campus-wide resource that touches every student, every family, and every tradition at TMI:
▸ Founder's Day — our largest and most celebrated school-wide event — takes center stage here each year.
▸ Pep rallies, outdoor assemblies, and community celebrations fill this space with Panther spirit throughout the year.
▸ Pass In Review and Corps of Cadets formations bring the entire school together on this field.
▸ Soccer, lacrosse, football, and track & field athletes train and compete here daily across three seasons.
▸ Physical education classes, club activities, and student life spill onto this field every single week.
DIVIDERThe Timeline
The timeline for completion — and the opening of a brand new facility — depends on when we reach our $2 million goal:
Goal reached by June 15 — Field opens for Founder's Day, spring sports, and possibly select winter games in early 2027. Construction begins at the conclusion of football season, utilizing the lower field and baseball stadium as alternative fields during construction.
Goal reached by November 15 — Field opens at the start of the 2027–2028 school year, welcoming a new class of Panthers onto a brand new surface.
dDIVIDERHow to Give
Giving at Stars Over TMI: Follow our platform for online donations and to make a gift.
Not Attending Stars Over TMI: Make an online donation on our Stars Over TMI giving page and be included in the celebration.
Cash/Donor Advised Fund/Stock/Appreciated Assets/Other Gift Forms: Please contact Taylor Phelps at t.phelps@tmi-sa.org or (903) 474-1296.
DIVIDER
Every gift matters. Every dollar builds the field our Panthers have earned.Whether you have walked this field as a student, cheered from the sideline as a parent, or watched it fill with the entire school on a crisp October morning — this place is part of your TMI story. Now it can be part of your legacy.
