We Party With Purpose
A year before Stone opened – this is way back in 2016 – a group of us met to work on a challenging problem: how we might ensure that our start-up school remains accessible to everyone.
We kicked around a lot of different models – we even wondered if there was a way to make Stone free – but what we settled on was this: despite being a tuition-based school, we will never turn anyone away for financial reasons, ever.
Put another way: Stone will be a “need blind” school in order to fulfill its Mission.
It’s been nearly 8 years since we had that conversation, in so many wonderful and unexpected ways we are a very different school than the one we envisioned back in 2016, but here’s what has never changed: we have never turned anyone away for financial reasons, and it’s our goal to make sure we never do.
This is a big week around Stone – it’s Chili Cook-Off Week. The Chili Cook-Off is our annual “Party With A Purpose”: we hope to raise about 10% of our Annual Fund in one night, and we do it with craft drinks and craft beer, with live music, with a really fun live auction (skydiving? skydiving!) and with a lot of chili.
Every dollar the Chili Cook-Off generates creates tuition lines, every dollar helps us remain “need blind”.
Like I said: it’s a big week around Stone. And because it is, we need your help.
If you are excited about Stone and excited about keeping Stone accessible to everyone, there are four ways you can support us this week:
You can buy tickets for the Chili Cook-Off right here! Tickets are pay-what-you-feel, and we also offer “Guilt Free No-Attendance” tickets for everyone who can't attend and wishes to avoid any residual guilt!
Or, you can become a sponsor! Anyone can sponsor the Chili Cook-off – individuals, families, organizations, corporations, etc. – and we celebrate each of our sponsors with extra event tickets, raffle tickets, free tee-shirts, social media shout-outs, and a few fun power-ups (for example: did you know that sponsoring the band means you can request just about any cover song you wish to hear?). Want to join ProAsys, MJ Earl Inc, the Staszak Family, Urban Place LP, Karen Linder and Jim Blickle, JML Ingredients, the Do Family, Chas and Samantha Kurtz, the Stagg Family, the Humbert Family, Kelly Whalen Brandsmith, and Fetish Brewing Company in sponsoring the Chili Cook-Off? Read the attached Sponsorship Levels letter right here!
And: you can make a Highly Competitive Chili (HCC)! Think you have what it takes to win the entire event? Sign-up to become a Highly Competitive Chili Maker on this sign-up genius right here!
And: you can volunteer to help out at the event! Our steering committee has been working hard for months to bring this event together – now we need volunteers who are willing to help set up, help clean up, help welcome guests at the front desk, and help support the auction itself. Interested in volunteering? Sign this form right here!
We do like to party, but we like the purpose even better – to support our students.
I hope you’ll take a moment and read the Sponsorship guide, and I hope you will consider buying a ticket, I hope you will consider supporting Stone’s 5th Annual Chili Cook-Off.
With so much gratitude,
Mike Simpson, Head of School