In 2008, Cindy Mandes saw the Dreyfoos Theatre Department’s production of West Side Story and immediately knew she wanted to get more involved with the School of the Arts Foundation. By 2010, Cindy joined the Board of Directors.

A retired teacher, Cindy says that “For the 35 years that I was working, I did not have the time to volunteer or give back to the community.” Now, she stays very involved by supporting Foundation events, donating raffle items, luncheon table gifts, and by finding a unique way to impact the lives of Dreyfoos students.

“Early on I saw that many of our 27 Board Members were very active in the community theatres, opera, ballet, symphony, the Norton Museum, and the Armory Art Center. I believed that there was a need to get our students more involved in our area institutions and being able to sponsor students to see shows at the Kravis Center was something I am able to do. Being at a performance within the first 10 rows of any stage is a magic that is indescribable, but lasting.”

Each year Cindy donates tickets to various productions at the Kravis Center for Dreyfoos students to experience that magic. During the intermission, Cindy invites the students to meet her at the Founders Room so she can introduce herself. This year, she went out of her way to get tickets for a production the Science Department wanted to reward their students with, Mythbusters.

“Involvement becomes contagious when one is passionate about what they do. It gets others motivated and interested enough to contribute.” For Cindy, she is motivated by the students, staff, and other Board Members of the Foundation. “Their involvement is truly exemplary and rare in many schools nowadays. “