Potomac School juniors Amelia Mazloom and Parker Gioia together with other committee members of the Inaugural St. Jude Parent/Teen Golden Gala from high schools across the DC, Maryland and Virginia area, raised $106,000 to benefit the children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The amount raised more than doubled committee’s goal of $50,000.

The Gala took place at the French Embassy on Sept.17 with a crowd of more than 250 parents and teens.

WMZQ DJ, Aly Jacobs was the emcee, and a variety of talented local teen performers from The Potomac School, St Andrews Episcopal School, Winston Churchill High School, and the Lab School entertained the attendees all evening. Desserts from DC-area favorites such as Olivia Macaron, Co Co. Sala, Georgetown Cupcake, Lolli and Pops, and Cake Love delighted the attendees. A silent auction and a live auction by Congressman John Delaney with items collected by the committee members also contributed to the success of the evening.

St. Jude patient Emily Mae, from Richmond, turned 16 two days after the gala. She shared her moving story about her journey with cancer. Thanks to the lifesaving work at St. Jude, she is now cancer free. She quoted founder Danny Thomas in saying: “Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself; it’s what you do for others.” She thanked the teens for coming together to create such a big event and for raising so much money for St. Jude.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital freely shares all of its research: Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened its doors more than 50 years ago. One-third of patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are teenagers, ages 15 to 19. Families at St. Jude never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food. Because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. If you and your Teen would like to get involved in next year’s gala, please contact alexis.polakoff@stjude.org.

Student Committee

Catherine Burke, The Potomac School, Arlington, Caroline Case, The Potomac School, McLean, Mckenzie Crafton, Connelly School of the Holy Child, Chevy Chase, Md., Caroline Culp, The Potomac School, McLean, Lily Delaney, The Potomac School, Potomac, Md., Tayte Dupree, The Potomac School, Washington, D.C., Molly Dwyer, The Potomac School, Arlington, Parker Gioia, The Potomac School, McLean, Rachel Greenberg, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Washington, D.C., Amanda Heckler, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Arlington, Jarett Jones, The Potomac School, Beltsville, Md., Sophia Li, The Potomac School, Great Falls, Nash Lougee, The Potomac School, Great Falls, Brendan Lui, The Potomac School, Potomac, Md.,Amelia Mazloom, The Potomac School, Arlington, George Mazloom, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Arlington, Izzy Moran, The Potomac School, Alexandria, Eleanor Nuechterlein, The Potomac School, McLean, Sara O'Brien, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Chevy Chase, Md. GG Richmond, Bishop O'Connell High School, McLean, and David Kiernan, The Potomac School, McLean.

Parent Committee

Gladys Abi-Najm, McLean, Karen and Richard Burke, Arlington, Lisa and Casey Crafton, Chevy Chase, Md., Wendy and Larry Culp, McLean, April and John Delaney, Potomac, Md., Marijke Jurgens-Dupree, Washington, D.C., Ellen and Tom Dwyer, Arlington, Piper Gioia, McLean, Tammy Haddad, Washington, D.C., Kim and John Heckler, Arlington, Julie O'Brien, Chevy Chase, Md., Eunice and Al Mazloom, Arlington, Tara Richmond, McLean.