Annual Benefit

What an exhilarating ride at the Petersen Automotive Museum on May 3, when our community came together for a party with a purpose. At the 42nd Annual Benefit, we raised money for financial aid to support scholar-athletes and inducted six sports legends into the newly established Viewpoint Athletic Hall of Fame. Check out the Los Angeles Daily News coverage here.

“Every Benefit supports a specific need that fuels growth and improvement, and this year we shone a bright light on our Athletics program,” said Mark McKee, Head of School. “Not only did we honor individuals who have helped shape Viewpoint’s sports legacy, we raised funds to provide financial aid for future scholar-athletes.”

Guests were immersed in a one-of-a-kind environment where the spirit of Peak Performance roared to life. The evening began with a vibrant cocktail reception and photo opportunities in The Cars of Film and Television gallery, setting the stage with cinematic flair. Dinner seating unfolded in a dramatically transformed gallery, where The People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block exhibit served as both backdrop and inspiration. Amidst a display of awe-inspiring collector cars, guests enjoyed an elegant dining experience in a space that balanced sophistication with exhilarating energy. Head of School Mark McKee welcomed the crowd as the celebration officially began.

Next on the roadmap was an extraordinary moment in our School’s history—the inaugural induction of six outstanding individuals into the Viewpoint Athletic Hall of Fame. The inductees, whose contributions to Viewpoint School’s athletic programs span multiple decades and sports, were recognized for their extraordinary accomplishments and lasting impact. 

• Alyssa Hinojosa ’16, Soccer, University of Oregon
• Christian Juzang ’16, Basketball, Harvard University 
• Patrick Moyal, Viewpoint’s Athletic Director for 35 years
• Miye Oni ’15, Basketball, Yale University 
• Darby Sedighan ’00 P'37 ’33 ’31, Volleyball, Chapman University
• Chaney Sheffield ’98, P’35 ’33 ’31, Baseball, Harvard University 

A high-energy, ESPN-style highlights reel—produced by the Viewpoint Marketing Team—introduced each inductee, featuring dynamic narration by American Tennis Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, and International Tennis Hall of Famer Pam Shriver—who is also a proud Viewpoint Trustee and Alumni Parent. The energetic video celebrated the achievements of our honorees, setting the tone for an unforgettable evening.

“Each of these inductees stands out as a champion—not only through their remarkable achievements but also by serving as role models for current and future generations of students,” said Josh Frechette, Director of Athletics.

Following the ceremony, it was time for guests to raise their paddles before they raised the roof at a Premier Live Auction, which included priceless athletic experiences, yielding significantly more support for the Benefit. 

“Our school is a giving community, and the success of this year’s Benefit is a testament to the power of philanthropy,” said Olivia Powell, Assistant Head of School for External Affairs. Inspired by school history and the success of our alumni, our families banded together to raise more than $1 million for our students. 

The ride got even better when eight upperclassmen singers from Viewpoint’s Voices Now and Concert Choir opened for our headliner. Led by Viewpoint Music Teacher Bill Brendle, an award-winning composer, orchestrator, arranger, and producer, the group performed “Smile” by Ben Bram, and then introduced three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning a cappella group Pentatonix! As one of the most innovative, inventive, and inimitable vocal groups of all time, Pentatonix had our community on its feet, dancing and singing along to their ‘90s medley performance.

The last stretch of the ride? The revved-up after-party where everyone enjoyed dessert, dancing to LA’s premier dance band VIVA, and a simulated racing experience. What a ride. What a night!

Our scholar-athletes of today will be the Hall of Fame inductees of tomorrow. If you would like to make a donation toward financial aid for our scholar-athletes, please make a gift here. 

Photo Credit: Tiffany Rose and Matt Lara

On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the Viewpoint community came together for our 40th Annual Benefit at the Skirball Cultural Center with hundreds of guests  gathering to celebrate the creation of the Cathy Adelman Endowment Fund for Financial Aid, the first-ever endowment to provide tuition assistance specifically to students in our Primary and Lower Schools. Guests were treated to a live acoustic performance by Gavin DeGraw, as well as hours of incredible music from The De-Bois All-Stars, a 12-piece band provided by de Bois Entertainment. 

The event netted a record-breaking $1.2 million, surpassing last year’s record breaking Diamond Jubilee by $200,000. This stunning success is a testament to the philanthropic heart of our community and to our shared commitment to Viewpoint’s World Ready Promise. We are so grateful to our Benefit leadership, donors, and volunteers for making the creation of this new endowment possible. 

In Cathy’s words, “…I really believe we’re going to change lives with the generosity of our community. That just means everything to me. What more could you want in your life but to feel like you’ve made a difference. And we will, and we are making a difference in every child that’s here. I really truly believe that with all my heart, but now children that would not have been able to come are going to be here.”

On May 7, the Viewpoint community gathered together at The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for the School’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years of achievement by our students, alumni, teachers, administrators, parents, and volunteers. Guests also were treated to a live acoustic performance by GRAMMY-award-winning band Train.

Our 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee netted $1 million, the most in the School’s history, for athletic and wellness initiatives including the Peak Performance Center.The community’s extraordinary philanthropy is a signal to the bright future and infinite possibilities of Viewpoint School.

We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee leadership, all of our supporters and volunteers, and our entire community for helping us make history.

Viewpoint’s community amped their glamp and came together virtually on Saturday night, May 8, for “Glamp Out!” – the School’s 38^th Annual Benefit. Hosted by Viewpoint parents, actor and comedian Ken Jeong, and tennis legend and sports commentator Pam Shriver, with entertainment by new Viewpoint parent Robin Thicke, and special guest Adam Levine, it was an evening of laughter and great music, and a celebration of the School, after what has been a year like no other.

For the second year in a row, Viewpoint’s Benefit was presented virtually. This tremendous undertaking required great creativity, persistence, and flexibility. The School would like to thank Ken, Pam, Robin, and Adam for lending their star-power to the evening – putting their glam (and a little bit of camp) into our Glamp-Out! We would also like to thank our Co-Chairs, Elissa Ashwood and Cathy Blumel, and all of the auction volunteers, and the many generous donors to the auction, who made the evening such a success. Our auction results are still being tallied and will be celebrated in the coming weeks. 

Another high point of the event was the paddle raise in support of Student Wellness at Viewpoint – the School’s exciting and important new K-12 wellness initiative. Through the generosity of families at every level of giving, the School raised over $200,000 to match the $100,000 grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation. We are profoundly grateful and excited about the opportunities these funds will help create for our students.

Finally, thank you to all of the members of the Viewpoint community – our extraordinary teachers and staff, and especially our students and their families. Evenings like these are a beautiful reminder of what is possible when we all come together – even virtually. We hope to see all of you in person at our 39th Annual Benefit in 2022 - we are planning a bash in celebration of Viewpoint’s 60th Anniversary!