The Education Fund's For the Love of Art combined creativity
with philanthropy to benefit arts education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
MIAMI, May 22, 2024
/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Education Fund's "For the Love of Art"
Charity Auction & Honoree Celebration, presented by Ocean Bank
(Member FDIC) turned Jungle Island into a hub of art and heart
on May 13th. For the Love of Art
combined creativity with philanthropy to benefit arts education in
Miami-Dade County Public
Schools.
"Ocean Bank's partnership with The
Education Fund reinforces the vital link between the business
community and public education, enriching the lives of students and
educators in Miami-Dade County,"
said Jeanelle Boscan, SVP and Head
of Human Resources at Ocean Bank.
The event showcased the artistic talents of public school
students and teachers through an exhibit and auction, featuring
more than 100 pieces of original artwork, many created with
materials provided by The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center for
Educational Materials.
Linda Lecht, president of The
Education Fund, highlighted the significance of the evening,
stating, "This artwork displays the talent within our public
schools and emphasizes the critical role of visual arts in
education. The funds raised tonight are a testament to our
community's investment in the future of our public school
students."
The money raised – more than $100,000 – supports visual arts education and The
Education Fund's free supplies warehouse, The Education Fund Ocean
Bank Center for Educational Materials. This annual investment helps
The Education Fund Ocean Bank Center distribute more than $24+
million in supplies to date for student learning, since program
inception, directly supporting classroom excellence and innovation
in our local public schools.
"Ocean Bank's partnership with The Education Fund reinforces the
vital link between the business community and public education,
enriching the lives of students and educators in Miami-Dade County," said Jeanelle Boscan, SVP and Head of Human Resources
at Ocean Bank and board member of The Education Fund.
The silent auction featured luxury travel experiences, gourmet
dining, outdoor adventures, and exclusive entertainment packages.
The sale of the artwork directly benefited the very schools and
students who contributed their artistry, fostering a cycle of
support and appreciation for the arts.
Community partners like Amazon enriched this cycle of support.
Angelica Santibanez, Head of
Community Engagement, South
Florida, for Amazon remarked, "For the Love of Art is not
just an auction, it's a gathering of hearts and minds dedicated to
enhancing the quality of visual arts education in our community.
Amazon is committed to supporting the communities where it
operates, including here in Miami,
and we are proud to support this incredible initiative. We look
forward to seeing the positive impacts of tonight's successes in
our public schools and students' lives."
Prominent community and business leaders in attendance included
Dr. Jose L. Dotres, Miami-Dade County Public Schools'
Superintendent; Jeanelle Boscan, SVP
and Head of Human Resources at Ocean Bank; Rolando Aedo, COO, Greater Miami Convention
& Visitors Bureau; Garfield
DeBarros, SVP Innovations and Technology, Blackstone;
Elisabeth DeLuca, DeLuca
Philanthropy; Jackie Martinez
Sancho, Regional Director, Humana; Nick Tootle, Principal, Kaufman Rossin &
Co.; and Jason Mizrachi, Vice
President of Unified Partnerships at iHeartMedia, Inc., who also
served as the evening's emcee.
Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation was also a top
donor for the event. Trustee Randi
Wolfson said, "Supporting the student art exhibition and For
the Love of Art is a natural extension of Lynn & Louis Wolfson
II Family Foundation's deep commitment to education and our
community. As an educator, I understand firsthand the
transformative power of visual arts and innovative learning
experiences. We are proud to support an initiative that fosters
community engagement and highlights the critical role of public
education in nurturing the next generation."
The event included the Public School Alumni Achievement Awards,
celebrating the success of public school graduates who have made
significant professional and community contributions (see list
below). To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the awards, The
Education Fund also recognized 15 years of prior honorees. Their
achievements serve as a reminder of the vast opportunities that a
public school education offers. These included Nancy Batchelor, Team Lead, The Nancy Batchelor
Team; Abel L. Iglesias, EVP
Miami-Dade Market Executive of Seacoast Bank; Monica Kirkland, Director of Creative Services,
Paramount; Connie Laguna, President
and CEO, Center for Financial Training; Richard Milstein, Partner, Akerman LLP Miami;
and Anna VeigaMilton, President, José Milton Foundation. Please see
full list here.
The Education Fund For the Love of Art is sponsored by Ocean
Bank, Peacock Foundation, The Kirk Foundation, Lynn & Louis
Wolfson II Family Foundation, Amazon, South Florida Business
Journal, Bradesco Bank, CareerSource South Florida, Miami Herald
& El Nuevo Herald, Wells Fargo, Jungle Island, PNC Bank,
Kaufman Rossin, TD Bank, LM Genuine Solutions, Regions Bank,
Synovus, José Milton Foundation, Greater Miami Convention &
Visitors Bureau, Humana, All Florida Paper, Bacardi, Biscayne Bay
Brewing Company, Café La Llave, Pepsi, Terrazas de los Andes, and The Sunsof
Corporation.
2024 Public School Alumni Achievement Award Honorees
Brittnie Bassant, CEO,
Miami Beach Chamber of
Commerce
Rick Beasley, Executive Director,
CareerSource South Florida
George Bermudez, SVP Business
Banking Business Marketing Executive, Bank of America
Edward Borrego, SVP and Chief
Experience Officer of Jackson Health System and CEO of Jackson West & Jackson South Medical
Center
Ashley Boxer, Founder and
President, The Boxer Strategy
Karyn Cunningham, Mayor,
Village of Palmetto Bay
Pedro M. de Armas, Partner,
Garcia Santa María De Armas Trujillo PLLC
Lourdes Diaz, Chief Academic
Officer, Miami-Dade County Public
Schools
Laura Gagliardo, SVP and COO,
Blackstone
Vanessa Johannes, Co-Managing
Shareholder, Carlton Fields
Renee Lopez-Cantera, SVP Sales
& Marketing, EKN Solutions
Lisa Martinez, Founder and CEO,
LM Genuine Solutions
Cecilia Rivas-Gonzalez, Program
Officer, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation
Yanyn San Luis, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Win
Woman
The Education Fund brings innovative methods to local public
schools, raises awareness about public education, and encourages
private sector investment. Recognized for improving student
outcomes, The Education Fund has received prestigious awards,
including the TD Ready Challenge, Greater Miami Chamber's NOVO
Award for Non-Profit Excellence, and the Blue Foundation's Sapphire
Prize, among others. Learn more at educationfund.org.
Connect on Social Media
Facebook: @educationfundmiami
LinkedIn: The Education Fund Miami
Instagram: @educationfundmiami
TikTok: EducationFundMiami
Twitter: @educationfund
Event Hashtag: #FortheLoveofArt
Media Contact
Trina Sargalski, The Education
Fund, 1 305-761-8605, tsargalski@educationfund.org,
https://www.educationfund.org/
Patricia Maldonado, Little Fish
Media, 1 3054908831, patricia@littlefishmedia.net, Little Fish
Media LLC
Twitter
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SOURCE The Education Fund