Thank you to all who attended our Back the Bell Day Celebration to support Philly public schools!

We thank everyone who joined us for our inaugural Back the Bell Day celebration at Philadelphia’s Bellevue Hotel on Tuesday, December 9 from 4-7 p.m. It was an evening of fun, food, drinks, interactive games, merchandise sales and more – all benefiting our public schools!

This year, we held a student design competition open to all School District of Philadelphia students in grades 6 – 12. The winning design that was selected by popular vote by the public is displayed on merchandise, including t-shirts and mugs, for all to purchase and sport! Aleea Dina Suonborai’s winning design earned the top cash prize of $1,500! Bearing the message, “Learning today, leading tomorrow”, Suonborai’s design honors her parents’ journey as Cambodian Muslim refugees in Philadelphia, blending plaid patterns that symbolize resilience, creativity, and faith. Proceeds from all sales go to support Philadelphia’s public schools!

At the Back the Bell Day celebration:

🎨 Student art and activations were on display
🪢 Rounds of double-dutch were played
📸 “School photos” were snapped
🎶 Student dancers and musicians kept us entertained
🏢 And key partners were recognized, including Rev. Lorina Marshall Blake, Independence Blue Cross and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation

Thank you to our Board, Superintendent Watlington and The School District of Philadelphia, Debora Borges-Carrera, Ed. D., Chief Education Officer for the City of Philadelphia, our sponsors, and everyone who made this evening special. And if you haven’t purchased your one-of-a-kind Back the Bell gear, do it now! There’s a lot of great merch to choose from ➡️ https://thefundbacksthebell.printful.me/

Photos from the event (photo credit: Meredith Edlow):

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