At Central Arizona College’s annual A Night of Stars fundraiser, the true star was a senior at Pinal County High School.
Yes, there were big names, including the Brown Brothers (Gabriel and Nate) who were season 17 finalists of “America’s Got Talent.” They entertained his 189 paying guests for 30 minutes.
Also, politicians and high rollers participate in raffles and auctions to raise funds for a foundation that provides free tuition to all high school seniors in the county who want to attend CAC.
But the real stars and beneficiaries of the gala, held on February 10th at the Windmill Winery Lake House in Florence, are the students.
Craig Kurtz, new executive director of the CAC Foundation, said the gala raised more than $43,000, which will be donated to 80 endowment scholarships and the Pinal Promise, a program that sends graduates across the county to CAC. .
“It was amazing. It’s been a great introduction to Pinal County for me since we started in August,” Kurtz said. ”
A Night of Stars provides a significant portion of the $350,000 the Foundation spends each year on scholarships. The remainder is mostly collected from donors, including those who attended the gala.
Kurtz noted that the night’s success was even greater given that it was held between the WM Phoenix Open and the Super Bowl, one of the biggest weekends in the Valley.
“So it was a great turnout considering that,” Kurtz said. “It didn’t seem to deter anyone.
“I can’t think of a better way to raise money for kids living in rural Pinal County, Arizona. Helping these families stay with their kids and help them pay as little debt as they can to college. I just want to be able to graduate from
For some, it changes the cycle of families without higher education.
“We are recruiting at every high school,” Kurtz said. “Our president wants to create a world-class experience for our learners here at Central Arizona College. My goal is to raise as much money as possible to reach as many Pinal County students as possible. It’s about bringing them together here and giving them the best possible experience.”
Kurtz himself knows the importance of community colleges. After graduating from his Salpointe his Catholic High in Tucson, he began his higher education journey at Pima College before coming to his CAC last August, taking executive positions in the restaurant industry and boys and girls clubs. I went to
“I’m a community college kid, so I understand how important the community college system is to students,” Kurtz says.
Among the CAC facilities is the Maricopa campus at 17945 N. Regent Drive.
Mayor Nancy Smith, who attended the Night of Stars, said she sees it as an essential asset.
“This is important for Maricopa because college-bound seniors in high school can go to college at CAC for free if they meet their grade goals,” says Smith. “Also in Maricopa he has a CAC campus so he can use the campus without leaving home.”
Donations to the Central Arizona College Foundation can be made online. centralaz.edu Or mail to Central Arizona College Foundation, Signal Peak Campus, 8470 N. Overfield Road, Coolidge, AZ 85128.
Here is a view from Starry Night through the lens of photographer Victor Moreno.
