Leonardo da Vinci may very well have been the most diversely talented man ever to live. The insatiable curiosity and inventive imagination that people identify as traits of Leonardo da Vinci are certainly traits that many parents in this room understand intimately. Da Vinci Academy students hunger for knowledge much the same way Leonardo da Vinci did in his day. Leonardo da Vinci was at the forefront of nearly everything he did - his style of art was unique from his peers, his study of the natural world informed his intellectual exploration across disciplines, and his revolutionary thinking continues to inspire people hundreds of years after his death. The quintessential Renaissance Man, his impact on our modern world is profound. He embodies the vision of what we desire for our gifted and talented children - the ability to explore, discover, innovate, invent, take risks and never stop learning with a fiery passion.

To satisfy your curiosity about Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries, included in this collection is a DVD set from The Great Courses entitled "Leonardo da Vinci and The High Italian Renaissance." Gain insight into what influenced da Vinci and how, what the world was like while he was alive and why many things we take for granted today would not exist had it not been for this inspiring man. The collection of models accompanying the DVD set will highlight his powers of invention as you assemble for yourself recreations of several of da Vinci's most famous inventions. Finally, our Founding Parent, Deb Butcher has shared a few thoughts about how our school got it's name and why. This is truly a treasure of School Spirit.