A Night for the Red and White Will Spotlight Students

The Shaker Schools Foundation will hold 31st annual fundraiser event March 18

Marin Hunter, Web & Print Managing Editor|March 14, 2023

Community members will gather at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown March 18 to celebrate A Night for the Red & White, an annual event that raises money to support Shaker schools.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. and feature a silent auction, dinner and dancing, live music and a student showcase. In contrast to past years’ typical formal attire, guests will wear casual cocktail attire and prepare to support this year’s Shaker School’s Foundation Initiative, Spotlight on Students.

Shaker Schools Foundation Executive Director Holly Coughlin said this year is all about students. “We’re raising money this year for student opportunity. Every student that goes to Shaker deserves the most robust education and extracurriculars,” Coughlin said. “It’s really making sure that every student has every opportunity available.”

The format of A Night for the Red & White is a little different this year, according to Coughlin. “We’ll still have an hor d’oeuvres hour, we’re still going to have dinner. But the Hilton has been able to provide a theater area where all of our guests will go in for a 30-minute program. They’ll be seated more in a theater style, so the spotlight really is on our students,” she said.

This year, the event will also feature a new emcee, Shaker, and Shakerite, alumnus David Pouge. “It’s going to be a great addition to have David from the class of 1981 this year,” Coughlin said. In addition to serving as The New York Times’ weekly tech columnist for 13 years, Pogue is a six-time Emmy Award winner and New York Times bestselling author. He is currently a full-time correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning.

Coughlin also said she is excited for guests to see the student entertainment featured this year. “We have students from the orchestra playing, the drumline is coming for the first time, and we have SpongeBob—a few of the theater folks are coming,” Coughlin said.

Aside from entertainment, A Night for the Red & White serves primarily as a fundraiser for the Shaker Schools Foundation. Funds are raised for the year’s initiative through silent auction and raffle ticket sales, ticket sales and donations.

The fundraiser is currently in its 31st year, and was started by Judge KJ Montogomery, who died Jan. 17. Coughlin said she wants to remember Montogomery at the celebration this year. “We really want to honor KJ’s legacy. She launched this event when she was a young parent of Shaker students,” Coughlin said.

It takes an immense effort to put together an event like ‘A Night for the Red & White,’ and it cannot be done alone, Coughlin said. “It really is a collaboration of the Foundation staff, our Board of Trustees and amazing volunteers. So, my role is really insignificant. It’s the sum of the parts of all the people who come together to really do this,” Coughlin said. “I’m just one person; it’s the bigger community that really pulls off a great fundraiser.”

Said Coughlin, “I think what’s really meaningful is that you get the chance to raise money for today’s students, but also tomorrow’s students. To really create more robust opportunities and experiences, and, you get to have fun while you’re doing it.”

The 31st Night for the Red and White will be held March 18 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. Tickets, as well as online raffle item tickets, can be purchased at the Shaker Schools Foundation’s website.