On Friday, May 3, 2024, the Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) held its annual signature fundraising event, Soirée Under the Stars at Springdale Golf Club. Tri-Chairs Barbara DiCostanzo, Lubaina Maimoon, and Randy Stephens led the benefit committee to plan this fundraising event, which brought together supporters and friends to increase equity and access to high quality outdoor education for students from historically marginalized communities. At the event, the Community of Christina Seix Academy was honored with the 2024 Frank Broderick Award and Princeton University with the 2024 Reverend David H. McAlpin, Jr. Community Champion Award.
The funds raised from the evening’s benefit support Princeton-Blairstown Center’s award-winning Summer Bridge Program which provides hundreds of students from Trenton and Newark with award-winning summer programming designed to combat summer learning loss with engaging, hands-on curriculum focused on literacy, social emotional learning, and STEAM, as well as outdoor experiences such as canoeing, kayaking, swimming, high- and low- ropes course adventures, and roasting s’mores over campfires.
Princeton-Blairstown Center President & CEO Pam Gregory shared, “Like the Rev. David McAlpin ’50, whose Princeton undergraduate years helped form his life of advocacy and activism, Princeton University demonstrates a strong commitment to a more equitable future for young people from historically marginalized communities.”
Gregory continued by recognizing the Community of Christina Seix Academy, who like their award’s namesake Princeton Alumnus Frank Broderick ’43, “effects positive change by dismantling systemic barriers caused by many elements of identity, including race.”
The event was attended by almost 150 people and raised over $70,000. Attendees heard firsthand about the impact of the Center from A’Zir Carey, a high school student, who shared how his experiences at PBC impacted his communication skills and interconnectedness.
“During my tenure as a high school student, I have noticed that the communications skills that I learned at PBC’s Summer Bridge Program apply to my everyday life. The community building activities, especially in the midst of the outdoors, left an imprint on my heart that I carry to this day,” A’Zir shared during his speech.
A’Zir has leveraged these interpersonal skills to contribute to his school community as a member of multiple varsity teams and as an accomplished scholar.
About the Princeton-Blairstown Center
The Princeton-Blairstown Center is an outdoor education center that serves young people, primarily from historically marginalized communities, by nurturing their social-emotional skills through experiential, environmental, and adventure-based programming. Developing these skills enables our participants to engage in self-discovery and transform their communities to create a more just world.
