Our Benefit emcees: Niecey, Jamillah, and Kahliya, all 7th graders, have learned about advocacy in the Be the Change after-school enrichment | | Students Reflect on their Experience at the Annual Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit | | |
Cruz, an 8th grader, using skills learned in the after-school Photography enrichment | | Each year at the Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit, you’ll hear from a diversity of voices, and often, it’s the students of St. James who take center stage. From delivering powerful remarks, capturing moments behind the camera, or energizing the crowd with cheer, students aren’t just on stage, they’re behind the scenes, greeting guests, and contributing meaningfully to the evening’s success. This year, three students from Be the Change spent weeks diligently preparing their speeches, student photographer Cruz skillfully navigated the crowd to document the event, and the cheer team brought unforgettable energy. We caught up with a few of our student leaders to reflect on what the experience meant to them. | | |
How did it feel to be up on stage?
"I was nervous, but when I got used to it, the opportunity was actually pretty fun!"
–Kahliya
"I was kind of nervous, too, because there were so many people watching me. When I got done it wasn’t that bad."
– Niecey
"It felt good to look over at all those people. There were so many people in the crowd!"
– Jamillah
| | |
What was your favorite part of the Benefit?
"I liked to hand out the Be the Change cards because I got to interact with all new people. It was so interesting to hear all the different answers for what word people thought of when they thought of St. James."
– Niecey
"I liked passing out the Be the Change cards because it was fun to see all the smiling and excited faces."
– Kahliya
"We got to see a bunch of new people and raised a lot of money. It was so exciting when we reached way over the goal we had set!"
– Jamillah
"I loved the food! I thought Bishop Curry was really funny. I didn’t know where he was going at first, but I got the message and laughed a lot."
– Cruz
What was your favorite food from the Benefit?
"The cheesecake bites!"
– Niecey & Kahliya
"The crackers from the cheese board"
– Jamillah
"The steak!"
– Cruz
| |
|
|
WE BELIEVE:
Our Plan for the Future of St. James
| |
We are thrilled to share our new Strategic Plan, entitled WE BELIEVE. It’s a bold roadmap that outlines how we will build upon our strong foundation and step faithfully into our next chapter. Grounded in our mission, vision, and values, the plan centers on three powerful goals: Agency, Deep Connections, and Shared Stewardship.
At its heart is something we’ve dreamed about for years: expanding our academic program to include Kindergarten through Grade 3. Reaching students earlier means transforming lives more deeply and more lastingly.
|
| | | Enjoy Photos from Our Dr. Audrey Evans Benefit | | Tiana Jones, Associate Director of the Welcome Table, left, and Vickie Hatcher, RAH neighbor, honoring the owners of Royal Electric Supply Co. The Welcome Table and our neighbors are excited for the growth of the St. James campus! You can request a tour anytime to see Royal Electric — just email your request to advancement@stjamesphila.org. | | Brynn, St. James Class of 2023 and a sophomore at The Baldwin School, left, presenting Bishop Curry with his award. Up on stage, Brynn ably represented all our alumni in high school, college, and careers. She reminisced about interviewing Bishop Curry during our 10th anniversary year. | | Our Cheer Team practiced hard all year to showcase their routines at the Benefit. The team met every week during the after-school enrichment hours. Did you see them welcoming our guests? | | Be the Change after-school enrichment students asked every guest to write down one word stating what St. James means to them. Some of the words were inspiring, joyful, religious, thriving, potential, happy, kind, and heart. The students then displayed the words for all to see. | | Cruz, an 8th grade student in the Photography after-school enrichment, worked alongside professional photographer Ron Nichols to capture images of the Benefit. In a light moment, they simultaneously took photos of each other. Cruz said Ron gave him tips on how to make his photos better. | | St. James is a faith-based educational community deeply rooted in transformative loving relationships. | | | | |
