Our annual fundraiser on March 4th was a huge success, allowing us to continue our programming and strengthen new programs across the 6-12! People were so excited with our work that we were able to SELL OUT the event! We had over 560 people present,  all there to celebrate our students and commitment to BAL and the South Bronx.

 

50 Middle School and High School students attended the BAL Annual Benefit and assisted in a variety of ways. Some students became apprentices to some of the top chefs in the city. The donned adorable white coats and picked up a thing or two about crafting delicious dishes. Students selected for this role had all expressed interest in the culinary field and/or partnering with a chef. Other students served as ambassadors for our school. These students,  gifted with interpersonal skills, floated around theBenefit answering questions on the enrichment activities they were involved in, from basketball to TriLatino, from PGC to GSA, and from House Council to The Moth, they impressed not only us but themselves. Last, but certainly not least, our Middle School Step Team (Golden Era) gave an epic performance.

 

To close out the night's programming, our school choir (comprised of students 6-12) performed a moving rendition of "I Believe I Can Fly" while Mr. Damien Sneed played the piano. Of course, sandwiched right in the middle of it all was an amazing and moving speech by Melanie Rivera. We were all blown away by Melanie’s wonderful speech, honoring her teachers and her journey at BAL.