The 10th Anniversary CARE Awards event, held on April 22 at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town, was a phenomenal success. It was an elegant evening, full of energy and excitement as more than 150 people gathered to honor outstanding educators and C/A Achievers. Congressman Jim Moran presented this year’s Leadership Award to Alma Powell for her work with at-risk youth as Chair of America’s Promise Alliance. Mayor Euille presented a CARE Award to Gregory Baldwin for his dedication to children with special needs at TC Williams High School. Ed Synan was honored by Head of School Susan Johnson with the C/A Teacher of the Year Award for being such an outstanding mentor and role model for our students.

This year, we started a new tradition at the event: honoring alumni who have earned their undergraduate degrees. C/A Achievers included Philip White ’04 (BS, Mary Washington); Neil Broadbent ’05 (BEng, Oxford Brookes University, England); Jeff Carroll ’05 (BS, Lynn University); and Sean Sutherland ’05 (BA, Lynchburg College). Both Sean and Jeff spoke to the captivated audience about how Commonwealth Academy had impacted their lives and helped them not only get to college, but helped them graduate.

Another former student, Matty Carville, who moved to Louisiana after 7th grade, joined her parents, CARE Award hosts Mary Matalin and Jim Carville, and gave an impassioned speech about her years at C/A.

In addition to honoring outstanding educators, the CARE Awards event is the school’s biggest annual fundraiser. This year, we raised $70,000; proceeds will be used for tuition assistance and to enhance the school’s program. The success was due in large part to the record number of C/A families that attended this year, as well as the tremendous support of the Alexandria community.

Many thanks go to our CARE Award Sponsors, and to the tireless work of the Event Committee: Kathleen & Eric Brehm, Co-Chairs, Trish Donilon, Gena Fitzgerald, John Hazard, Pat Laane, Stacey Nadeau, Cathy Pharis, and Terry Witowsky.

2010 CARE Award Sponsors

GOLD BENEFACTORS—$10,000
Cathy Pharis/Wells Fargo Bank

SILVER BENEFACTORS—$5,000
Eric and Kathleen Brehm
Richard and Stacey Nadeau
Somerset Partners LLC

SUSTAINERS—$2,500
Donald and Marie Klawiter
Trip and Chris Howell
IntelliVen
Manhattan International Transportation, Inc.
Christian and Maribeth Spitz
Bill and Terry Witowsky

PATRONS—$1,000
Richmond and Lynn Abbe
David Apol and Catherine Novelli
Bonitt Builders
Richard and Suzanne Carroll
Nicholas and Victoria Coward
John and Eleanor Hazard
Alethea and Jeffrey Haas
Freeman N. Jelks III/Investment Advisor
Sean Laane and Patricia Weggel-Laane
Neal and Tina Mollen
Philip Nelson and Anne Parten
Earl Harris-Nicholls and Bertram J. Nicholls, Jr.
Robert and Mary O’Donnell
Stephen and Rutha Piper
Speck Caudron Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors