May 13, 2016
BY JUDY CARMACK BROSS
More than $1.2 million was raised for the financial aid program at the Latin School of Chicago at its recent Scholarship Dinner, attended by 800 parents, alumni and friends. Following a moving speech by alumna and pre-med student Jasmine Arrington (Class of 2011), performances by Middle School students, paddle raises, and a live auction, guests hopped on trolleys bound for dinners planned by 87 party hosts in their homes.
Event Chairs Gwen and Nick Pontikes and Clara and David Williams led a team of 100 volunteers. Begun in its current format in 1992, the Scholarship Dinner is Latin’s most beloved event and faculty and volunteers give their all.
One of the most popular auction items was the offer of Head of School Randall Dunn, and other faculty members, to challenge a whole Latin class to a soccer tournament while wearing giant inflatable bubble suits, enabling competitors to bounce off each other and the ground on the way to a goal.
Dunn summed up the feeling of all involved in the Scholarship Dinner:
“Our deep connection to this city is something that has set Latin apart from other schools for decades. This year, with students representing 77 different Chicago neighborhoods, we give a new meaning to the ‘of Chicago’ part of our name. Our ability to expand access to a Latin education is a direct result of our community’s shared belief in the power of education and commitment to our strong financial aid program.”
Alumni and parents donated over $130,000 to financial-aid during the paddle raise.
Board-Chair Vince Cozzi, Maureen Rogan, and Event Co-Chairs Gwen and Nick Pontikes.
Event Co-Chair Clara Williams with one of the 38 dinner hosts, Sabrina Gracias.
Husband and wife and both Latin Graduatesl, Gigi Stender-Schwertfeger and Andrew Schwerfeger with student raffle sellers.
Latin alumni Annette Phillips, Kelly Cameron-Newton, Alumni Board President Taylor Cope, Thanh Nguyen, and Ameerah Phllips.
Latin alumni speaker Jasmine Arrington, class of ’11, with her parents Keisha and Darryl Arrington.
Latin parents cheer for the winning bidder at the live auction.
Ninth grade parents and faculty enjoy dinner in a fellow parent’s home.
Parents aboard a trolley taking them to one of 38 privately hosted dinner parties.
Parents Priya Tirumalasetty and Rajeev Uppalapati.
Scholarship Dinner Co-Chairs Nick and Gwen Pontikes, Latin School Board-Chair Vince Cozzi, class of ’83, and Clara and David Williams.
Student raffle ticket sellers dressed in Latin’s orange and blue.
Teacher Bridget Hennessy with senior parents Dora Moore and Jami Degraff.
The Scholarship Dinner program book, Go Romans!
Tom Hinkes, Trustee Suzanne Gignilliat, Peter Ruggiero, and Joan Craig.
Photo Credits: The Latin School of Chicago
