What a night! More than 200 members of the MMFS community attended Illuminations: Benefit 2024 on May 16. Thank you to everyone who came out for the evening, made a donation, bought a journal ad, bid on an auction item, or picked something from the Giving Garden. Thanks to you, we raised more than $200,000 to keep MMFS strong.
The Faculty Band got the party started with their opening set. (Thank you John Grimsley, Catherine Leto-Carboy, Melody Olsen, Amanda Somekh, and Margot Stein.) Upper School Director Mark Doty once again served as our host for the evening. Head of School André Del Valle sported lightning bolt sneakers for the occasion. And four MMFS students provided music and wisdom: We were treated to a performance by Dominic Z., a personal journey through time with Ari B., and a discourse on the importance of art in education by Leah F. and Chloe R.
Board Clerk Larry Botel presented the Violet Longobardi Award to renowned children’s book author Andrea Davis Pinkney for her dedication to MMFS as a parent and as a member of the board of trustees. Andrea wowed the room with her beautiful and poetic remarks on what MMFS has meant to her and her family.
Special thanks to Sadia Mehmood-Pellicano and to Katie Howell and Julia Swee for organizing such a terrific event; to the Spring Events Committee; and to all the volunteers from the Comms Department, Business Office, and Tech Teams.