On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Lycée community members and friends will come together for Gala 2024 “La force au féminin, within us.” An annual event and the Lycée’s 25th Gala, it raises upwards of $2 million each year, providing essential support to the school’s financial aid fund, professional development for teachers, academic programs, Cultural Center activities and so much more.
Gala Co-Chairs are an essential part of the event and give hours of their time, expertise and passion for the school to the benefit of our students. This year’s co-chairs, Charlotte Balcaen-Croonenberghs, France Descours, Sheida Ellini, and Lola Moore, spoke with us about what to expect.
First of all. Thank you! Tell us about yourself and why you are making this amazing commitment to the school.
Charlotte: I arrived from Belgium a year ago, and I have one child in pre-K and another on the way. I wanted get involved to get to know the community better. Children spend their first 18 years at school, and it is a way to give back to a school that will give so much to our children.
Lola: I am Greek, and I chose the Lycée because I wanted my daughter to be in a European environment at school. Every year, I love to see the group of women who come together to dedicate their time for this great cause.
Sheida: I am Iranian-Canadian and grew up with the French language and culture. I have a daughter in Kindergarten, and even when we were applying to schools, I had heard about the Gala and wanted to be a part of it. Through it, we can award more need-based finanical aid to families who may not be able to afford a Lycée eduction, and that makes our school more diverse and better for all our children.
France: My family arrived to the Lycée from France years ago, and my oldest will graduate this year. I am very much driven by the push for financial aid. Helping open access to the Lycée is incredible to me, and it is a great richness of the school that we must preserve.
All of us have had women in our lives who have made an impact us.
How did you choose this year’s theme?
This year’s theme is “La force au féminin – within us“, and its meaning has evolved for us ever since we started planning the event last fall. At first, we were focused on the idea of growing access and opportunity for women. The more we thought about it, the more we wanted to broaden the theme to be inclusive of everyone.
All of us have had women in our lives who have made an impact us. Whether it be a grandmother, a mother, a cousin, a sister, a friend…they are, in essence, within all of us.
Part of the Lycée’s mission is focused on preparing all students to be leaders in the future. We see that the definition of leadership is changing to integrate qualities that may have been traditionally seen as feminine — a nurturing quality, a different type of strength and an emphasis on collaboration — qualities in leaders that the world really needs right now.
We’re looking forward to a May gala this year. For many years, it has taken place in March. Why the change?
We’re excited to plan the school’s first May Gala! The Lycée community represents so many backgrounds and beliefs. March and April are important months for many faiths, and we wanted to be certain that we did not plan it on days of religious observance.
The extra benefit is warmer weather! It’ll have a completely different feel with the light, air of spring, and a gathering closer to the end of the school year, when we have so much to look back on to celebrate.
The Gala wouldn’t happen without our amazing volunteers.
Speaking of light, the venue is new, too.
Yes! This year’s gala takes place at The Glasshouse, a modern new space in the city on the Hudson River. It’s beautiful and light-filled, with sunset views on the river. The world can feel so heavy sometimes, and to watch the sunset surrounded by a community we all love will be warm and meaningful.
It’s been wonderful to see families from Preschool all the way to Terminale work together on the event. What would you like to say to our volunteers?
The Gala wouldn’t happen without you. They have amazing ideas, and when they collaborate together, we always end up with something better.
It’s not too late to be a volunteer for the Gala. It’s a very empowering group of mothers and dads. Some have had more experience than others as volunteers, as parents, and they are very supportive. It’s unique to build these connections, especially for our younger families.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
We look forward to see this force in our community coming out. We hope you can buy tickets, bring friends and participate in any way you can. Primary parents, if you don’t know a lot of people in the community yet, we’re happy to help put together a table of guests.
Lycée Français de New York – Gala 2024
La force au féminin, within us
Thursday, May 9 at 6.30pm
The Glasshouse, New York City
Tickets here.
About the Author :
Nicole started at the Lycée as the Associate Director of Annual Giving in March of 2019. A graduate of the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Nicole received a J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School. She began her career in development almost ten years ago and has successfully grown Annual Fund programs, managed special events, and supported capital campaigns in schools, such as the Dwight School Foundation, Brooklyn Prospect Charter School and the Genesis School, to name a few.