By Eleanor Pontikes   On Saturday February 27, Latin hosted its biennial Scholarship Dinner, and I talked with Melissa North of the development office to see how it went. Over 800 parents, alumni, and teachers attended the event– the second largest attendance in the school’s history– to raise money for the scholarship fund. As Latin’s website says, “The Scholarship Dinner event solely supports the school’s financial aid program. Funds raised through the event directly impact the lives of all students by enhancing the school’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified and deserving students, regardless of their financial circumstances.” With the Romans of Chicago theme, this year’s dinner surpassed the yearly goal of $1 million by raising over $1.2 million, 100% of it contributing directly to Latin’s financial aid budget of $3.7 million. After selling raffle tickets as one of the event’s volunteers, I was amazed by the lights displaying the Romans of Chicago logo on the ceiling, the three different bars, and food being catered across the gym. A space for dodgeball games and yoga classes had been transformed into a classy event. I thought the set-up had to have a high cost, but thanks to many underwritten costs, 95 cents of every dollar raised went directly to financial aid. “For a gala event, this is outstanding,” says Ms. North. Many families and companies donated to the school to underwrite costs by providing food and drink, eliminating the costs of an event space by hosting dinners at the homes of parents and alums, and making the short video to promote the values of community and excellence that Latin stands for. The video was a montage celebrating students of differing backgrounds and interests, starting with the youngest in junior kindergarten and finishing with high school students. All in all, the 2016 Scholarship Dinner went off without a hitch! Many thanks to student, faculty, and parent volunteers for their contributions to fund Latin’s financial aid program.  ]]>