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You Did It! Pizazz Raises More Than $400,000
40 Years of Generosity
Our 12th annual spring fundraiser, Pizazz, took place virtually over four days (April 27–30). Nearly 140 contributed $404,000 in support of financial aid. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit our families through two funds: the Raymond Taussig Terry Financial Aid Endowment Fund and The Northwest Experience Fund. Thank you for giving so generously! Our entire community is strengthened when we can ensure access to a Northwest School education. Emceed by teacher Scott Davis, our event featured daily videos from Scott, Interim Head of School Dennis Bisgaard, Director of Financial Aid and Assistant Director of Admissions Jonathan Hochberg, Director of Learning Services Hillary French, Learning Resources Coordinator Rae Page, and Director of Dining Services Bethany Fong. Parents Cynthia Tee and C.Y. Lee completed this series of videos by announcing their Pizazz gift to the entire community. On Friday evening, Dennis emceed a live Zoom event and introduced a collection of videos, including a Q & A with Incoming Head of School Ray Wilson and Cofounders Ellen Taussig and Mark Terry, and four solo student performances: Ana Elisa T-R. ’25, dance; Sophie R. ’21, written word; Coco O. ’25, dance; Wesley K. ’22, instrumental and vocals. The event wrapped up with a thank-you video from Ray.
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he Northwest School community has been consistently supportive and generous since the earliest days. These qualities were on display September 4, 1980, when a group of committed families believed enough in Northwest and its founding trustees, its faculty, and curriculum to invest in the school with their most valued assets: their children! Throughout the past four decades, parents and guardians, alumni, alum parents, and so many others have come together in myriad ways to ensure that Northwest’s philosophy and values endure so that more students can benefit from all that our school has to offer. What follows is a partial list of events and initiatives that dedicated contributors and volunteers made possible, all to benefit the students and families at Northwest. • The Paul Winter Consort benefit concert took place in 1984, raising funds—and awareness—of Northwest during the school’s earliest years. • Seattle’s beloved Elliott Bay Book Company joined forces with Northwest in 1988. This fundraiser supported our library and has been an annual event, now Holiday on the Hill, ever since. • In 2005, The Concert for The Northwest School scholarship fund included performances by a few notable alums and an alum parent, including Stone Gossard ’84 (of Pearl Jam), Jason Finn ’85 (of The Presidents of the United States of America), and jazz musician Bill Frisell, parent of Monica Jane Frisell ’09.
All the videos can be found at
give.classy.org/Pizazz2021.
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• A new addition to the main school building was inaugurated in 2006. This successful capital campaign gave us our current library, computer lab, photography lab, and dance studio. • In 2007, The Paul Raymond Endowed Financial Aid Fund was established to give more students access to a Northwest education and to increase the school’s socioeconomic diversity. This fund is now called “RTT” to honor all three founders. • The 401 E Pike building opened in 2014 and included a Black Box Theater, Dining Hall, Gym, and Rooftop Sports Field. • The Northwest Experience Fund (Xfund) launched in 2016 to provide support for all the extra costs beyond tuition for those families on financial aid. What stands out among all of these successes is a commitment to financial aid, a love of The Northwest School model of education, and the belief that more students should be able to experience and benefit from this model. We look forward to strengthening financial aid, increasing opportunities, and improving our campus over the next 40 years. Together, we have accomplished so much, and will continue to build on these in the future. Thanks to everyone, past and present, for your generosity, and Happy 40th Anniversary!
Thank You Pizazz Volunteers! Many thanks to our Pizazz Event Planning Committee volunteers, including Barb Chin, Emily Raymond, Jason Barbacovi, Julie Lyss, Katharine Gregg, Lisa Haselby, Madlen Caplow, Roger Capestany, and Sally Ketcham. They all shared ideas, gave great advice and feedback, and were always willing to offer help and humor when needed. Thanks for helping to make Pizazz the most successful in its history!
