Last night, Parkside once again made history. Shelly Watson entertained us on Zoom, in a "Virtual Toast" to our school with more than 50 members of our Parkside family participating. It was the highlight of our week to see our community come together for a moment of respite from the news. PA Spring Benefit Co-Chairs Dot Cates and Andria Younger did a beautiful job spearheading what has become our very first fully virtual Spring Benefit.

Through all of it -- the good times and the challenging ones -- it is our teachers, students and parents who inspire and invigorate us. We hope you will take a few minutes to watch this moving video message that our Art and Movement teachers put together.

As you know, Parkside has persevered through a plethora of challenges, and various national upheavals before. On May 4,1992, during the Rodney King Riots, Parkside parents came together for an evening of salsa in a small Upper West Side venue. Parents enjoyed the food and libations at the 2001 breakfast benefit at Chanterelle in the time after 9/11. And recently, on March 14, 2018, our guests climbed over mounds of snow to take part in the Denim and Diamonds Spring Benefit.

With more than 36 hours left until our Virtual Benefit and online auction closes, we've already raised over $80,000 towards our goal of $130,000. We are so very thankful to everyone in our community for your words of encouragement, your friendship, and your support. If you are able, and would like to help us edge closer to our original fundraising goal, thank you for considering an additional donation.

And, if you need an escape from your daily quarantine routine, just to smile, watch a full recording of last night’s Virtual Toast below.