Ash Carter Courtyard Project
Honoring an Extraordinary Legacy at Abington Senior High School
Make Your Contribution Today!
Celebrating Ashton B. "Ash" Carter, 1954 - 2022
Ashton B. “Ash” Carter 1954 - 2022
Abington High School has produced many fine graduates during its nearly 140 years. None may be
more distinguished than Ashton B. “Ash” Carter, a member of the AHS Class of 1972.
From 2015 to 2017, Ash led the Pentagon and the nation’s armed forces as America’s 25th Secretary
of Defense. This position capped his stunning career as a nuclear scientist, public servant, leader,
and educator. The nation and the world lost this Abington hero prematurely, at the age of 68 in 2022.
In January 2025, Ash was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s
highest civilian honor. His citation read, “A scientist turned Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter was a
true patriot. Over four decades, in and out of the Pentagon, he was a key leader, thinker, and
strategist on critical issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism, and our sacred
obligation to equip, care, and protect our service members and their families. His scientific and
technological innovations made our nation safer, and his integrity and mentorship inspired
generations of Americans to serve and protect our nation with honor and dignity.”
Ash loved Abington and said that his values were formed as he grew up there. The resources
available in Abington public schools – academic rigor and excellence matched with a broad array of
athletics, extra-curricular opportunities, and multidisciplinary education – set the stage for his
extraordinary career.
After graduating from Abington High School, Ash went on to Yale University where he was a dual
major in physics and medieval French history. His public policy interests developed while he was a
Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, and he also obtained a Ph.D. in physics there. Ash began his
career as a physicist, then moved to public policy and served in national security and academic
positions. Throughout his time as an educator, he touched the lives of thousands of students,
offering them knowledge and insights to help make the world a better and safer place.
Ash authored or co-authored eleven books and more than 100 articles on physics, technology,
national security, and management.
A Courtyard to Reflect, Relax, and Connect
A group of Ash’s 1972 classmates and friends is seeking to memorialize Ash’s achievements and
motivate other Abington students to follow his examples of leadership and patriotism. They have
launched an effort to build a courtyard in his name. The renovated space will greet visitors at the
main entrance to Abington Senior High School. It will be surrounded by a low-lying attractive
stone wall and aesthetically beautiful shrubbery and will feature an eye-catching colorful “infinity”
sculpture representing Ash’s spirit and his expertise in the sciences. The Ash Carter courtyard
will provide a place for students, teachers, staff, and visitors to reflect, relax, and connect while
on campus.
The Development Campaign
Planners seek to raise $200,000 to cover design, implementation, and construction costs of
the courtyard as well as additional initiatives to serve Abington Senior High School students in
Ash’s name, including a scholarship program.
A group of generous AHS ’72 alums already has pledged to match the first $50,000 of donations.
Sponsors welcome pledges for donations or contributions that similarly can serve as matching
funds.
The Abington Board of Education has approved this project and expressed strong support. We at
AEF also support the initiative. We’re accepting contributions through this website and helping
with public education about the effort.
You can help make the Ash Carter Courtyard a reality by clicking the button below.
Timeframe
Fundraising will continue through the first quarter of 2026. Organizers plan to break ground on the
courtyard in summer 2026 with completion in time for the start of the 2026-27 school year.
