A Record-Breaking Lilac Ball: Over $4 Million Raised for Education and Leadership

Prep for Prep’s Lilac Ball on June 13 was a smashing success, netting over $4 million – a new record! – to support educational and leadership development opportunities for New York City’s most promising students of color. The event honored real estate leader and philanthropist Jeff T. Blau, CEO of Related Companies. A record 1,400+ guests packed the Waldorf Astoria to celebrate our graduating high school seniors.
Mr. Blau remarked, “As a parent of three young children, and a Trustee at Trinity School, I am inspired by the focus and energy of these young people, and inspired by the amazing support and confidence Prep for Prep gives them. This is an organization that truly changes student’s lives, with a profound impact on them, their family, and their communities.” 

From their start as eager middle school students to their development into accomplished young people heading off to the most competitive colleges in the country, the Class of 2016 is ready to take on the next challenge in their academic careers. As far as they have come on their individual journeys, each student also believes in paying forward the opportunities they’ve earned through Prep. “I promise I will use my hard-won successes to give back to my many communities,” said Lilac Ball Student Speaker Chelsie Alexandre (XXXII/St. Luke's '12, Brearley '16, Princeton). 

An impressive 94% of the Prep high school senior class will matriculate at colleges characterized as "Most Competitive" or “Highly Competitive,” according to Barron’s 2016 Profiles of American Colleges. Top college choices include: 

Amherst (5)
Boston College (5)
Brown (3)
Columbia (2)
Cornell (2)
Dartmouth (3)
Harvard (2)
Middlebury (3)
NYU (5)
Princeton (2)
University of Pennsylvania (8)
Washington University (5)
Wesleyan (3)
Williams (3)
Yale (3) 

View event coverage by The Wall Street Journal and DuJour, and see event photos on Prep's Facebook page

About the Lilac Ball
Since 1986, the Lilac Ball has served as Prep’s keystone event. It not only honors leaders with a commitment to education and young people, but also celebrates the hard work and achievements of our high school seniors. Proceeds from the event support Prep’s mission of creating a more diverse national leadership pool by providing New York’s most promising students of color access to a superior education and life-changing opportunities.
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