International Gala 2023 Recap

On March 11, the International School of Indiana community gathered at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for the school’s signature fundraising event International Gala: Grown Up’s Night Out!

Gala is one of four events in the 2022-2023 fundraising series and is the school’s signature fundraising event. ISI fundraising events are designed to offer a wide array of options for ISI families and supporters to participate in annual fundraising and to invest in our students, our faculty, our facilities, and our potential. 

This year’s event theme embraced the Museum surroundings, giving guests access to galleries, centerpieces made of toys, and neon and glow-in-the-dark attire! 

More than 260 guests came together in the Museum’s two-story Sunburst Atrium for the night’s program. Gala Co-Chairs Erik and Heather Woods kicked off the evening by sharing their ISI story, Board President Scott Weaver welcomed guests on behalf of the Board of Directors, and MCs Head of School Elizabeth Head, and ISI Parent and Founder/CEO of LUNA Language Services, Chris Waters entertained attendees, while also sharing the mission of ISI and showcasing our students, seniors Evan Cahoon, Lydia Campbell, Konrad Gossweiler, Zaina Hayek, Melanie Kreutz, and Patrick Machado.

Click to watch the Gala Head of School Video

Click to watch the Gala Student Video

Proceeds for this year’s event totaled $227,518, and $128,878 was raised at the event! 

• More than 100 packages were included in this year’s Silent Auction, and nearly 1,300 bids were placed! The most popular items were the Lower School Principal For the Day with 71 bids, the House Pioneer Spirit Basket with 43 bids, and South Indian Evening with the Peeran Linsmeyer Family with 42 bids! In total, the Silent Auction raised $34,908.
• The Live Auction was one of the most memorable in recent history, raising $72,600! A Traditional Argentine Asado hosted by ISI teachers Geoff Peate and Susannah Miller was the top live auction package, going for $20,000!
• A “Raise Your Paddle” was the final appeal of the night, and donors gave $21,370 to support the ISI Annual Fund!

• The International Gala Co-Chairs: Heather and Erik Woods
• Committee Members: Stephanie Aikins, Carrie Bryant-Salazar, Allison Chen, Kelly Daneri, Lindsay Donaldson, Kylee Hope, Kathryn Maitz, Monish Patel, Kris Perry, Leyla Peeran, Carrie Pitman, Toby Ringle, Nadia Savabi, Sara Thomas, Suzette Ventrini, and Amy Willis
• Employee Volunteers: Richard Bruford, Mattie Fuchs, Jenny Howell, Kim Jacobson, RJ Jensen, Taryn Lamp, Susannah Miller, Geoff Peate, Natalie Wolfe, and Qiao Xu
• Student Volunteers: Sophie Albert, Channing Bernat, Lydia Campbell, Evan Cahoon, Helena Duarte, Konrad Gossweiler, Zaina Hayek, Caitlyn Hempstead, Azeem Hite, Melanie Kreutz, Phyusen Kyaw, Nils Lahm, Patrick Machado, Iloa Martin-Podevin, Kael Miller, Lana Miller, Miles Mixon, Sireen Moiz, Kenjiro Murakami, Alexander Pecard-Leese, Simone Tuite Deckart, Anzie Wiseman, and Ananza Williams
• MC and Auctioneer Chris Waters
• MC and Head of School Elizabeth Head
• Board President Scott Weaver
• Businesses and individuals who donated auction items
• And last but not least, our Gala attendees who put the fun in fundraising!