Our most successful fundraiser ever

This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

The Notebook had another successful Turning the Page for Change celebration on Tuesday. In the beautiful court of Hamilton Hall at the University of the Arts, about 350 public education supporters — parents, teachers, activists, school officials, students and others — gathered to celebrate with the Notebook and to honor a year of journalistic excellence in covering Philadelphia’s public school system. Our annual event in June is one of the few occasions each year when such a large group representing so many different constituencies gather in a social setting.

The Notebook honored veteran reporter Ben Herold for his significant contributions to Philadelphia’s education beat. High school student journalists from several local publications were also honored for excellence. And the High School of Creative and Performing Arts provided a polished jazz quintet and a talented team of caricaturists for the evening’s entertainment. The challenges faced by Philadelphia schools were highlighted in a small exhibit of photographs of last year’s school closings by Katrina Ohstrom.

The board and staff of the Notebook thank all who came to support us through this event. Special thanks to 26 sponsoring organizations and 62 individuals who made substantial contributions to be part of the event host committee. Funds generously donated at the celebration provide a sizeable chunk of the Notebook‘s operating revenue. This year’s event drew both the largest crowd and the highest amount of financial support raised to date.

All photos by Harvey Finkle