Back the Bell in support of Philly's Public Schools
Back the Bell is The Fund’s student-designed merchandise campaign to raise money for School District of Philadelphia schools.
Purchase HereBack the Bell (formerly known as Dress Down Day for Philly Public Schools) is one of The Fund’s signature fundraising initiatives that effectively engages students in its efforts to raise attention and dollars for our schools. Since 2018, the initiative has raised over $170,000 through merchandise sales to help enrich the lives of district students by funding field trips, STEM supplies, updated technology, library books, and much more.
We thank everyone who joined us for Back the Bell Day 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! Proceeds from all sales go to support Philadelphia’s public schools!
And the winner of our student design competition is…
11th grader Aleea Dina Suonborai from Carver Engineering and Science!
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.
The design will be featured on official Back the Bell items including shirts, hats, hoodies, and cups. Purchase yours!
We also want to congratulate our second and third place winners, both from Philadelphia High School for Girls: 12th grader Tiffany Huang, who will receive $500,
and 11th grader Gylissy Xiong, who will receive $250.
Back the Bell is more than a design competition — it’s a celebration of our students’ voices and their vision for our schools and their school communities. Throughout this competition, The Fund has been inspired by their talent, and thrilled that the community rallied around the over 20 students who submitted their original designs.
All profits from the Back the Bell merchandise sales will support Philadelphia public schools, funding creative initiatives and student programs across the city.