Contributed photos
LEAP student counselors and staff prepare for the 25 th Anniversary LEAP Year Event at Hopkins School.
The 25th Anniversary annual fundraiser for Leadership, Education and Athletics in Partnership, Inc. (LEAP) drew to a close last weekend.
The 2020 LEAP Year Event (LYE) brought together New Haven parents, students, philanthropists, community volunteers, artists, authors, business owners, and activists to support the local nonprofit’s work providing free after-school and summer programs to 1,000 young people from low-income neighborhoods in New Haven every year. Over 650 community members attended.
LYE 2020 began on Thursday, Feb. 27 with a cocktail reception, book signing, and an opportunity to hear from LEAP staff and counselors at the Hopkins School. The book signing included David Ottenstein’s book of photography IOWA, Reginald Dwayne Betts’ poetry collection Felon, and Abdul-Razak Zachariah’s children’s book The Night is Yours. Zachariah is also a LEAP staff member.
New Haven activist William Outlaw III and author Charles Barber signed copies of the book they wrote about Outlaw’s life, Citizen Outlaw, at the LYE reception. Later that evening they were Guests of Honor at a dinner.
Judy Clark and Anne Calabresi helped make LEAP into the success it is now.
The event honored LEAP co-founder Anne Calabresi as well as influential LEAP advocate Judy Clark. Henry Fernandez, Executive Director of LEAP, presented Calabresi’s award: a photo of LEAP children launching backyard rockets. He and Calabresi helped turn LEAP from an untested idea to reality in 1992. With both gravity and humor, they shared a story of how, when windows were shattered in LEAP’s summer housing for student counselors in the early years, Calabresi personally brought plywood and power tools to the building and repaired the windows.
Politician and former LEAP counselor Rob Bonta (left) was keynote speaker of LYE 2020.
Ann Baker Pepe, LEAP Board Chair, presented Judy Clark’s award: a photo of elephants to symbolize her dedication and faithfulness to New Haven’s youth. Clark has worked tirelessly for years to increase LEAP’s presence in the community. In her typically selfless manner, she brought the focus back to LEAP’s supporters old and new in her speech. “LEAP Year Event is about you,” she said, indicating the diverse cohort gathered at the reception.
Ramzia Issa, LEAP counselor and a student at Albertus Magnus, introduced the event’s keynote speaker.
Current LEAPer Ramzia Issa introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, California Assembly member Rob Bonta.
Both Issa and Bonta have experience as LEAP college student counselors, mentoring younger children in New Haven. When Bonta was a Yale student, he joined LEAP as one of its first counselors in the early years of the nonprofit, and is now a prominent legislator in California. Issa has been part of LEAP since she was 15. “LEAP has helped me in significant ways,” she said. “I learned that I can impact children, like my student Nalei who I helped teach how to read. Learning about Mr. Bonta’s background and current work inspired me to realize that one day after I move on from LEAP, I too will be able to continue to change lives just like Mr. Bonta has.”
Tom Griggs, co-director of the International Festival for Arts and Ideas and long-time LEAP supporter, led a lively bid-down auction which raised over $30,000 to bring the cocktail reception to a close.
After the reception, attendees departed for dinner at one of 29 homes and restaurants in the Greater New Haven area, generously hosted by LEAP friends. A notable Guest of Honor was invited to each dinner, providing a special theme for the night’s discussions. Another four dinners took place on actual leap year on Saturday, February 29.
Nico Wheadon, executive director of NXTHVN, speaks over dinner at the home of Christina and Jason Price.
At the dinners, attendees were able to have intimate conversations over a delicious meal with prominent figures across the Greater New Haven area. They discussed sourcing sustainable food with Chef Bun Lai, owner of Miya’s Sushi; starting a biotech company with Dr. Craig Crews, founder of Arvinas, Inc.; and creating an international nonprofit with Wendy Black-Nasta, founder of Artists for World Peace.
All proceeds of the event went toward LEAP and our free education enrichment for New Haven youth living in low-income neighborhoods. This year, LEAP Year Event raised over $250,000 from sponsorships, event ticket sales, and individual donations to help grow LEAP’s programs and services despite state funding cuts and rising program costs. Thank you all LEAP’s supporters for helping to Create a New Haven for our Children!
