Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation Celebrates 30 Years of Excellence.
'The Main Event' Gala was held on January 27th, 2023,
at the Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion.

Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation Celebrates 30 Years of Excellence. 'The Main Event' Gala was held on January 27th, 2023, at the Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion. The magical, musical performing arts celebration featured an evening of student and alumni performances showcasing graduates Nadine Sierra, Charlie Porter, Erin Krakow, and Jacquez Linder-Long.

'The Main Event' Gala Chairs Lisa Marie Conte Browne and Denise Kalland, along with Honorary Chairs, Veronica Atkins, Ricki Gail Conway, and Sue & Jim Patterson, welcomed guests with a cocktail reception in the Grand Lobby followed by performances, and a delectable three-course meal, in the beautifully transformed Cohen Pavilion.

Proceeds from 'The Main Event' Gala benefit the Foundation, which provides over $1.5 million in support to the Dreyfoos School of the Arts each year. In 1997, Alexander W. Dreyfoos made what was at the time the largest private contribution to a Florida Public School. His contribution began 30 years of excellence in the arts and academic programming, enhanced by the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation. The then-named Palm Beach County School of the Arts was a small magnet school serving approximately 800 students from 6th to 12th grade. Mr. Dreyfoos saw the potential and wanted to see the school grow. In the fall of 1997, the newly renovated school was named Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts and opened its gates in downtown West Palm Beach.

In today's era of insufficient public education funding, schools are provided with minimal funds for arts teachers and supplies. An art magnet high school like Dreyfoos requires appropriate funding for arts teachers, classroom supplies and materials, technology, Guest Artists, Artists in Residence, and much more to support these endeavors. The school relies on the generosity of individual donors, the business community, and charitable foundations to fund its six art areas.

Dreyfoos is ranked the #28 magnet high school in the nation and the #1 public high school in Palm Beach County. Our graduates attend the most prestigious colleges, universities, and art conservatories in the world. The Foundation works to support a strong, suitably funded public high school which provides an advanced arts curriculum alongside rigorous academic course work, especially one that involves talented students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, thereby benefiting our community. This year all funds raised will go directly to fulfill the school’s dream list, which can be found at www.dreamsofdreyfoos.org.

'The Main Event' Chairs and Committee express their appreciation to event sponsors and underwriters, including Veronica Atkins, Gail Hughes Galli, The Doris & Stanley Tananbaum Foundation, Lisa Marie Conte Browne, Denise Kalland, Don & Linda Silpe, First Republic Bank, Goldman Sachs, Josephine Bayard, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Simon Benson Offit, Gil Cohen & Paul Gervais, Cousins Law APA, Dr. & Mrs. Robert Desnick, Dr. Nicole Edeiken, George Elmore & Marti LaTour, Nancy & Joel Hart, Ellen Liman - The Palm Beach Art Collection.Com, Jo Anne Rioli Moeller - J.A.R. Moeller LLC, Related Companies, Morris Banks, Sophia Sonya Conte, Darlene Dzuba, Gillian Fuller, Dr.’s Howard & Joanne Green, Marcie Gorman, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Payson, Suzanne Niedland, Alice & Cater Randolph, Francine & Euclid Walker, and Ken Wyse.

Our Underwriters include Bulldog Marketing, Gander & White Shipping, Inc., Hubbard Radio West Palm Beach, Jane Holzer - The Factory, Jazz Up My Event, Kirkland Event and Destination Services, Lessing's Hospitality Group, Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Stephen Johnson Framing and Peter Stodolak.

All photos by Capehart unless otherwise stated.

 
Veronica Atkins, Valery Gergiev, Jr., Kim Bepler 

 

Linda Silpe, Don Silpe, Dorothy Lappin

Julie Herzig Desnick, Dr. Robert Desnick, and Meridian Prall

Sue and James Patterson

Diane Quinn and Renate Dreyfoos

Marti LaTour and George Elmore