On March 1, the Fox Den and the Alumni Department held its annual 100 Days to Graduation event, celebrating the Class of 2023 while raising donations for its class gift.

To promote the event, the Alumni Department, led by Young Alumni Coordinator Clayton Willis, met with small groups of seniors to inform them about its objectives and the importance of graduation. Additionally, to ensure the event’s success, Willis partnered with the Office of Student Life to help plan the event.

“This event was an important milestone for the seniors, as it not only marks the 100 Days to Graduation, but it also launched the Senior Class Campaign,” Willis said.

The Senior Class Campaign, held by every graduating class in the past 20 years, funds a collective gift to The Sidwell Friends Fund.

Willis also explained how the seniors’ donations to the fund allow them to leave a lasting impact on the community even after graduation.

Through their donations, “the seniors showed how much they care about the community,” Fox Den Employee Llyric-Cheyenne Rowe said.

The Alumni Department achieved its primary goal of collecting donations and raising significant funds — a sign, Rowe said, that the event was a huge success.

During the event, the Fox Den staff provided free pastries and drinks to the seniors and decorated the room with balloons to celebrate the milestone.

“The Fox Den staff had a lot of fun planning the event,” Rowe said. “We think it was a fantastic way of honoring the seniors and providing them with the message that they will be missed after graduation,” she added.

Rowe also shared that the seniors were appreciative of the efforts of the Fox Den staff and the Alumni Department: “Many sought me out after the event to say thank you, which was very nice,” she said.

Willis also thought the event was successful.

“Being there in person was a blast,” Willis said. “Celebrating seniors on this milestone of only 100 days left at Sidwell was rewarding, and I think the students had a great time and realized graduation is just around the corner,” he added.

Senior Nate Grossman felt the 100 Days to Graduation was an effective way to bring the Class of 2023 together as the school year concludes.

“I am incredibly grateful for the combined efforts of the Alumni Department and the Fox Den staff,” Grossman said. “They did a nice job organizing the event and making us feel like we are still going to be a part of the Sidwell community even after we graduate and head off to college,” he continued.

Grateful for the turnout and positive feedback, Willis emphasized his gratitude for the seniors: “The words of gratitude I had received have been nice, and I am very appreciative of the seniors’ feedback,” he said.

Members of the Fox Den staff are enthusiastic about hosting the event again in the future. Rowe hopes that for next year, the staff will devote more time to decorating and put more effort into the environment for the celebration.

While the Fox Den currently does not plan to host any more events for the Class of 2023, Willis said that “the event will definitely be held next year to honor the Class of 2024.”

The staff expressed excitement for these future celebrations.

“I cannot wait for next year!” Rowe said.