Before COVID and its impact on social gatherings, SSP's Leadership Council held an annual event and auction to fundraise for and encourage new members to join our community. On Wednesday, October 19, we were thrilled to host the Fall Back Reunion and restore this SSP tradition. The event raised $102,000 and counting, which will go toward our life-changing education and mentorship programs. We are so appreciative of those who attended and for the Leadership Council members who made the event possible! We're happy to share photos from the special evening here.
We'd like to extend a special thank you to our event sponsors (highlighted below) and to Trisha and Patrick Duval, incredible supporters of SSP who generously donated their outdoor space for the special night. We had the privilege of hearing the personal stories of Leadership Council member, SSP alumnus, and supporter Nickolas Sophinos (Class of 1996) and current SSP scholar Ishmael (Class of 2023). They both represent what SSP can accomplish — what your support makes possible.
Speeches in Gratitude
Nickolas Sophinos and his family have been supporting SSP for over 20 years. At the event, Nickolas shared his experience growing up with the opportunity that SSP provided him. He spoke openly about the struggles he faced before entering the program and how his mentor and sponsor, who he still works with to this day, helped shape his future.
“Because of SSP, I am now able to give back and support my family in ways I couldn't have envisioned as a child. You can help kids dream big and have access to opportunities we sometimes take for granted.”
-Nickolas Sophinos, SSP Alumnus, Leadership Council, Mentor and Sponsor
Nickolas concluded his speech and handed the microphone to one of several students he has sponsored over the years. Ishmael, a senior at Cardinal Hayes High School, shared his hopes to study electrical engineering in college and enter the tech industry post-graduation. He described his life prior to being a part of the SSP community and his gratitude for the program, his family, and the opportunities SSP has provided him.
“Before SSP, I was a middle schooler who was not performing to the best of his abilities,” he said. “I had low grades. I was shy. I didn't know where I would end up as I was rejected from every selective public high school I applied to. But SSP saw something within me and had provided me with a new path and newfound hope. If it were not for this one opportunity, I could not imagine where I would be today.”
“My family has always been supportive of my willingness to pursue an education and my willingness to work hard to accomplish my goals, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. SSP has made such a difference for me and for many of my peers. You have made that difference possible, so thank you”
-Ishmael, SSP Scholar, Cardinal Hayes Class of 2023
Our Sponsors
Summa Cum Laude Sponsor
Nickolas Sophinos
Magna Cum Laude Sponsors
Larissa and Doug Anderson
Seamus Dunne
Renee and Carl Landegger
Cum Laude Sponsors
Debra De Jesus-Vizzi
Amelia Garnett and Tyler Drayton
Flores-Lerner Household
Timothy Huestis
Michael Kaicher
Alfred McKeon
