Representing two legacy families, Stephanie (Basile) and Nick Economos, Jr. have been a part of the Pine Crest community since the late 1980s. 
Nick’s sister Elyse Parisi ’01 is a Pine Crest graduate, while Stephanie and her brother Sebastian attended Pine Crest from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade on the Boca Raton campus. As a former Pine Crest student, Stephanie said choosing Pine Crest for their children was an “obvious choice” but it took visiting the campus for Nick to agree.
“Growing up I never attended a private school,” said Nick, “but when I toured the campus it was clear that Pine Crest would be a perfect fit for our two boys, Nicholas ’33 and Alexander ’35.” Nick was impressed by the safe environment, how engaged the teachers were with their students, and how eager the students were to learn. “During our tour, we met Middle School students who were well-spoken and confident. These qualities were certainly not by happenstance as evidenced in a strong culture that embraces academics, kindness, and being a good citizen.”
Gifts of Generosity
“As a family, we think it’s important to give back to society,” said Nick. “We made a gift to the Beyer Center for Emergent Leadership and immediately saw the impact it had on both students and teachers. Seeing the far-reaching results of that project fueled our desire to learn more about Pine Crest’s next phase of plans. We made a decision to invest now in what will make the greatest difference not just for our boys, but all current and future students.”
Aside from giving unsparingly over the past five years, the Economos’ are also generous with their time. Stephanie has been an active volunteer with the Boca Parents’ Association, serving countless hours supporting students and faculty. Additionally, she serves as a member of the Ambassador Council and Pine Crest Boca Admission volunteers.
Building a Legacy for the Future
“Pine Crest has shown us the long-term vision of how it intends to enrich the lives of students and teachers and we want to be a part of that,” said Stephanie.
“Our gift is a direct investment in giving our boys the best education available to them, along with the next generation of Pine Crest students,” said Nick.
Stephanie added, “As a legacy family we hope our children and even grandchildren will continue their education and expand their social network at Pine Crest. Nicholas ’33 and Alexander ’35 consider Pine Crest their community which is very fulfilling to us. Our hope is that they continue to expand their friendships and maintain these relationships throughout their lives as I have done.”
