25 years of Dreams Realized at Academy Prep’s Evening of Dreams Gala
St. Petersburg, FL — Academy Prep celebrates the success of its recent signature annual gala, Evening of Dreams, held at The James Museum on February 11th.
Presented by Raymond James for the 9th consecutive year, Evening of Dreams raises critical support for the Student Scholarship Program, while honoring an outstanding contributor to the school with the Jeffrey L. Fortune Dream Maker Award. This year’s recipient, Christine Hanner, accepted the award for her inspiring dedication to Academy Prep and the Tampa Bay community.
Over three hundred patrons filled the Mesa ballroom at The James Museum where auctioneers Tarryn and Jason Troutman of Auction Horizons led the live auction which offered several priceless experiences, including two sets of tickets to the upcoming Taylor Swift concert. The silent auction, widely known as St. Petersburg’s most exclusive, raised near record breaking numbers. School officials said the evening exceeded their goals and brought in critical funding for The Student Scholarship fund.
In addition, Academy Prep also received a generous $100,000 commitment from Honest 1 Auto Care, pledging $25,000 a year for the next four years, in honor of Academy Prep’s 25th Anniversary.
“It is a privilege to offer the opportunity of a four year scholarship to the deserving students at Academy Prep St. Petersburg as they celebrate their 25th Anniversary. Our sincere hope is that this gift will inspire others to join us in providing meaningful and impactful giving with the idea that one life can change the world.” – Caroline and Mike Cowan
Lynne Stamey chaired the event committee, which included Beth England, Chris Hanner, Anje Bogott, Anne Dowling, and Judy Bellack, along with Academy Prep’s development staff, Lacey Nash Miller, Jennifer Silva, Sarah McDonald, and Mendy Kirsch.
