Fund-A-Scholar IDEALS Program

Fund-A-Scholar IDEALS, formerly known as the Auction to Benefit the Financial Aid Program, is the St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School annual fundraising campaign that engages the time, talent and treasure of our community in building a socio-economically diverse student body. IDEALS is an acronym that represents the core tenets of St. Patrick’s mission – Inclusion, Diversity, Empowerment, Access, Learning and Scholarship.

At the Annual Auction, there is an opportunity to donate directly to the bottom line by raising your paddle for “Fund-A-Scholar.” This lively and inspiring portion of the Live Auction ensures that the entirety of your gift will go directly to benefit the Financial Aid program. In 2020, the Fund-A-Scholar portion raised more than $290,000 during our star-studded and movie magic "Lights, Camera, Auction!" themed evening.

We are so grateful to the community for the strong support of the Fund-A-Scholar IDEALS program! 

This year's theme is "Behind the Mask" because even behind our masks we are still St. Patrick’s. We have unusual talents, our pets do tricks, our science experiments fail, we help our neighbors, we contribute to our communities, we fight for justice, we dance and sing and make art.  The IDEALS Variety Show & Auction will showcase all that and more.

We hope everyone will contribute a video to be included in this year's Variety Show! The categories for submission include: 

  • St. Pa-TRICKS: Can you do something no one knows about? An epic belly roll or the old inside-out-eyelids trick? Can your dog dance in a tutu or your parrot speak Spanish? Send us videos of your funniest, cleverest, and most awesome hidden talent or skill.
  • St. Patrick's Serves: Have you and your family found a way to serve your community using your skills to tend to others' needs or using your voice to fight for justice and equality? We would love to see your photos and videos of your sandwich making, coat collection, or march signs or any other support you have given to those who needed it.
  • St. Patrick's Viral Content: Always wanted to go viral? This could be your chance! Send us your best TikTok remake, or your karaoke rendition of your favorite song, or your family’s remake of a good-old music video. Get creative and show us your moves!
  • St. Patrick's Remakes: Classic TV and movie scenes brought to life. Is that famous line stuck in your head? Is family dinner like a scene from Godfather? Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller, Caddyshack, or Top Gun? Recreate your favorite silver-screen moment and share it with us.
  • St. Patrick's Stars: Calling all virtuosos, first chairs, home run kings, prima ballerinas, hat-trickers, and all other stars of sports, arts, and entertainment!  Swing for the fences or swing your épée. Chassé or tap your way into St. Patrick's fame. Sing like Whitney Houston or tickle the ivories like Beethoven. We want to see the brightest stars of St. Patrick's!
  • St. Patrick's Families’ Funniest Fails: Admit it . . . we all had some work-from-home and remote-learning fails. It's been a long year, and it's time to laugh at ourselves trying our best—and failing epically sometimes. We hope you caught that Zoom fail on record or you captured your family at not-its-best and will share it with us for some much-needed laughter. There's a light at the end of the tunnel now, so let's remember some of the funny (in hindsight) moments during the tough times we have all shared.

One of the cornerstones of our fundraising has always been the Silent Auction.  We are going to have to be especially creative this year in light of the economic hardships faced by many small businesses as a result of the pandemic.  We are actively trying to find ways to drive customers to our local businesses, not just relying on those businesses to support our event and fundraising campaign.  We are confident that we will have a tremendous range of items, as always, with a special focus on categories that help build us up as a community, showcase our strengths, and allow us to take care of each other. 

2021 Fund-A-Scholar IDEALS Co-Chairs

Lights, Camera, Auction 2020!

The St. Patrick’s community rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the Auction to Benefit the Financial Aid Program on Saturday, March 7, 2020. The theme—Lights, Camera, Auction!—brought the magic of cinema to the Day School campus and the Gymnasium & Performance Center. Our community, both near and far, were the real stars of the show as they helped raise critical funds for the Financial Aid Program. 

The evening was made possible by our talented and dynamic parent volunteers and directed by our devoted Auction Co-Chairs: Claire Farver (Holt ‘23, Frances Gray ‘27), Johanna Howe (Barclay ‘26, Birdie ‘29), Michelle Maddux (Victor ‘21, Hedges ‘22, Scarlett ‘25), and Denise Prince (Helen ex. ‘19, Peter ex. ‘21, Sally ex. ‘24, Michael ‘29). The Nave, Great Hall, and Gymnasium & Performance Center were transformed with movie props, projections, and concessions to help set the scene. Guests walked the red carpet dressed as their favorite movie characters.

The Auction raised more than $460,000 to support the education of St. Patrick’s students, making it possible for the Day School to fulfill its commitment to socioeconomic diversity. We are grateful to our parent volunteers, families, and community for supporting St. Patrick's and the Financial Aid Program!

Click the logo to visit our official Auction website!

2021 Sponsors