BETHLEHEM, Pa.— A silent auction Tuesday of items such as a signed copy of Jason Kelce's retirement speech and the ability to "rent" Liberty High Grenadier Band for 30 minutes helped raise $134,225 for Bethlehem Area School District.
The auction was part of the 25th annual BASD Foundation gala dinner. Executive Director Justin K. Amann said the foundation helps fund field trips and other immersive learning opportunities.
"Initiatives we helped to fund are, we send all fourth- and fifth-grade students to curricular field trips that help tie directly back to their curriculum," Amann said.
"So fourth-graders go, and they visit Freemansburg Canal. Then we send our fifth-graders to the National Museum of Industrial History, where they get to really learn more about our city — what has happened here, the incredible history of the city of Bethlehem.
"We have incredible neighbors, who pay their taxes and help to support us, and that is our base. But there's so much more that we really want to do and need to do, and we're able to help fill that gap with events like tonight's."BASD Foundation Executive Director Justin K. Amann
Amann opened his speech with a well-received phrase: "A kid's ZIP code should not determine the quality of their education."
Afterward, he elaborated.
"We have incredible neighbors, who pay their taxes and help to support us, and that is our base," he said.
"But there's so much more that we really want to do and need to do, and we're able to help fill that gap with events like tonight's."
'It meant an awful lot to me'
BASD Foundation Board President John B. Callahan also spoke, opening up with a story about his time in the school district — as a student.
He told how he showed up to his first day of kindergarten, and couldn't get anyone to understand him, because his speech impediment was so bad.
The unspoken happy ending was, of course, that he went on to have no trouble speaking in public, and even served as mayor of Bethlehem.
"Now we can all remember that teacher, or teachers in our lives, who inspired us, the ones that held us, perhaps held us to a higher standard."BASD Foundation Board President John B. Callahan
"Now we can all remember that teacher, or teachers in our lives, who inspired us, the ones that held us, perhaps held us to a higher standard," Callahan said.
"The ones we didn't want to disappoint. The ones who, when they said something to you, it resonated a little bit more than the other teachers.
"Well, for me, luckily, in second grade, I came upon one of those teachers, and it was a Miss Vicki Newman. And I don't remember the context — but she said to me: 'John, someday you could be President of the United States.'
"Maybe it didn't mean a lot to her, but it meant an awful lot to me at that point — to that kid two years ago who nobody could understand."
As Callahan shared that story, he began to tear up, and quickly jumped in with some comic relief: "Well, I got to be president of my hometown, I guess that's a pretty good run for me."
During dinner, bands from throughout the school district performed — including Liberty High School and Freedom High, together — despite usually being rivals.
The silent auction's listing of Grenadier Band rental had a starting bid of $300. But on the bidding sheet, its valuation was listed as "priceless."
