Despite the auctioneer making fun of my 1920s hat (ok, it may have been from the 1930s), we are really excited to have won the Dodgers tickets – we’ve never had sushi at a game before!!!
The fantastic company and the great community feel against the backdrop of dazzling lights and sweet band music, made for a memorable night (oh, and the mint julips were pretty good, too:-)
We were really proud to show off the NSW community and staff to our sister, an experienced educator from NY. She hasn’t stopped talking about the positive vibes from the evening!
The roaring 20s were fully roaring with an amazing community event – we are so happy to be a part of it!”
– Sandra and Gerard Hammond
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“Was it a bicycle wheel, or a chandelier? Or both? Parents put down their gins and old-fashioneds for a moment. Conversations turned to whispers. Even the swinging jazz trio stopped to admire the bicycle wheel chandelier lighting up the night. The auctioneer, NSW dad Jeremy was never at a loss for words, let the crowd take in this piece of–what was it?–yes, art. As a new NSW parent, I had seen my son, along with other classmates, working on adding little lights and colorful beads to strands connected to individual spokes of the chandelier over the last few weeks. Now, this moment took me completely by surprise. It was one of many works of art made by NSW preschoolers. Their imaginations and collaborations had made these creations possible. To the crowd, at the least for a few moments, it was no less impressive that the best Marchel Duchamp. Student work was being more than honored—it was being elevated. And, yes, sadly it would be the sole possession of the family with the highest bid.
The auctioneer reactivated his booming voice, kicking things back into action.
The bidding went up, up, up, skyrocketing into the hundreds of dollars. With funds to be used for our new NSW Foundation. As the jazz trio played on into the night in parent Matt’s backyard transformed into a Gin and Jazz set in a Mar Vista’s of the 1920s The NSW parent community had made these moment possible, along with creating the May Street Casino inspired by the Reggio approach to learning: play. Parents gambled, danced, and toasted the night away. In doing so, they briefly flowed down the river of experiences their children see, hear, touch, and feel on a daily basis.
Tireless working behind the scenes, in addition to welcoming guests with their warm presence, Jess and Trevor briefly paused their roles as executive producers of the party just long enough to steal a moment to themselves to play blackjack—and got 21 at least once! Laura and Nick were an integral part of preparing and displaying the live auction’s items—and were dressed to the nines.
Again, a total commitment to honoring student art, along with recognizing the teachers in the audience who facilitated this work, thanks to parents who sponsored faculty tickets. The impact of Carolyn and Jeff’s online auction work, launched before the party, helped generate excitement for the live auction at the party. Thanks to all the parents who donated some of the 60+ items for the online and live auctions—you know who you are. Leah and Emily helped convert Matt’s residence to nothing less than the best Great Gatsby party.
On the way out, a few parents traded notes on parties and experiences they planned to have over the spring and summer, ones they could still bid for online. Was Luiz’s Carne Asada Taquiza party sold-out? Oh, no! Well, how about strawberry picking with the Nelsons at Tanaka Farms? This party helped build community for the parents as much as the kids and teachers who would benefit from the impressive haul for the event. Most importantly, many parents enjoyed the freedom of self-directed gambling and relationship-driven adult dancing and play. And what is more Reggio than that?”
– Alex Cussen
