Welcome to Noble’s 25th Anniversary Gala: Building a Brighter Future Together!
In 1999, Noble’s founders were searching for a way to better serve students and families in Chicago. They believed schools could unlock opportunity and equity for all with rigorous academics, a deep love for students, and high expectations. That vision became Noble—an organization rooted in the belief that every student deserves a quality education and a chance at a choice-filled life.
Twenty-five years later, that belief has become a movement. Today, Noble serves nearly 12,000 students, over 1,500 staff members, and an alumni community exceeding 28,700 across Chicago and the nation. We’ve grown, evolved, and stayed true to our mission—to ensure our students have the support and opportunity to complete college and lead lives of purpose and impact.
Tonight, we celebrate this milestone—not just as an anniversary but as a moment to honor the community of educators, students, families, and supporters who made it possible. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or are new to our work, your presence tonight means the world to us.
Thank you for believing in Noble’s mission and walking alongside us on this journey. We are excited to celebrate our impact and recommit to our vision for the next 25 years.
Event Agenda
COCKTAIL HOUR & SPONSORS RECEPTION
Vanguard Award - University of Illinois Chicago
Visionary Award - Allan B. Muchin
PROGRAM
WELCOME REMARKS
Angelica Alfaro
KEYNOTE
Dr. Janice Jackson
VIDEO
AWARD PRESENTATION
Promise Award - Lucy & William Reese
Spirit Award - Ronda Coleman
DINNER SERVICE
Special Performance by Baker Jazz Band
AWARD PRESENTATION
Legacy Award - Francisco Huerta
VIDEO
LIVE PADDLE RAISE
Anthony Briscoe
CEO REMARKS
Brenda Cora
CLOSING REMARKS
Sara Meno
DESSERT RECEPTION & DANCING
Thank You to Our Sponsors
With heartfelt appreciation, we thank all our generous sponsors for making Noble’s 25th Anniversary Gala possible. Your support honors our past, empowers our present, and helps build a brighter future for the Noble community.
25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREES
Legacy Award Francisco Huerta
The Legacy Award is given to a Noble graduate who has made significant achievements in their professional field, has contributed meaningfully to Chicago, and who has worked to advance Noble’s vision.
Francisco is a founding graduate of Rauner College Prep (Class of 2010). He signed on to Teach for America after graduating college and was placed at Hansberry College Prep where he rose to chair the history department and was named as a Distinguished Teacher - Noble’s most prestigious teaching honor. In his tenure at Noble he served on the Noble Alumni Association, as Manager of Assessment and Curriculum on the Support Team and at Mansueto High School, now as a Senior Seminar Instructor. Outside of Noble, he gives his time to support Lurie Children’s Hospital and Hope For The Day.
Celebrate the impact of these honorees in helping Noble grow to its 25-year milestone.
Promise Award Lucy & William Reese 25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREES
The Promise Award is given to a parent who has shown a commitment to not only their child’s success but that of all Noble students, through their deep engagement in their campus, advocacy for a high-quality education for all students, and positive influence on the community.
Lucy and William are the proud parents of three Noble graduates from Gary Comer College Prep (Class of 2016) and DRW College Prep (2018 and 2020). In addition to raising their beautiful and large family, Lucy and William have contributed so much as advocates of a Noble education in the unique and powerful way only our parents can! They were actively engaged in their children’s schools, traveled to Springfield, IL and Washington D.C. with Noble to advocate for charter schools, participated in countless training sessions, engagement opportunities with elected officials and feedback sessions with Noble leadership to improve education and opportunity for all students. Their involvement continues as they provide driver’s education for students across Noble.
Celebrate the impact of these honorees in helping Noble grow to its 25-year milestone.
Spirit Award Ronda Coleman 25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREES
The Spirit Award is given to a staff member who has a proven record of results, champions Noble’s vision, is inspirational in their methods and student engagement, and contributes to a positive school culture and student experience.
Ronda is the proud parent of a 2013 graduate, who has since joined the team at her alma mater, Gary Comer College Prep (GCCP). Through her deep engagement as a GCCP parent, Ronda worked with the principal to found the first of Noble’s Parent and Family Advisory Council. This led her to join as a founding member of the team at Butler College Prep where she has dedicated the past 12 years of her life to leading campus admission and operations, supporting and graduating an advisory, leading the cheer team, and countless other programs that enhance the high school experience for her Butler Lynx.
Celebrate the impact of these honorees in helping Noble grow to its 25-year milestone.
25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREES
Vanguard Award
The Vanguard Award recognizes an organization with a long-standing relationship with Noble that has worked collaboratively to create a high-impact partnership that directly benefits our students and our graduates.
Accepting the award on behalf of the University of Illinois Chicago are Dr. Aisha El-Amin and Maria Garcia. Their respective offices have been such dedicated collaborators with Noble’s College team, and regularly go above and beyond for Noble students. For three years in a row, their offices have sponsored UIC <> Noble Flames Day, which is a matriculation event aimed at equipping our UIC-bound seniors with all of the available resources and services they may need as prospective UIC students. They sponsor special assessment opportunities and host special on-campus events to increase college exposure for our students.
Celebrate the impact of these honorees in helping Noble grow to its 25-year milestone.
25TH ANNIVERSARY HONOREES
Visionary Award Allan B. Muchin
The Visionary Award is given to a donor whose commitment to Noble has extended far beyond their generous financial support, to expand Noble’s impact and make a high-quality public education accessible to more Chicago families.
Allan Muchin, Chairman Emeritus, is the embodiment of this award. As a founding partner of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP he built a name for himself, but solidified his legacy in Chicago through his service to numerous charitable and civic organizations, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago. His leadership at Noble has taken many forms: through his service on the Board of Directors for the entirety of Noble’s existence; his ten years serving as Board Chairman from 2009 to 2019; the founding of Muchin College Prep in Chicago’s Loop; and his tireless work to secure new resources and supporters for the benefit of our students and schools. Allan continues to be among Noble’s greatest champions and his legacy is woven into Noble’s history.
Celebrate the impact of these honorees in helping Noble grow to its 25-year milestone.
Dr. Janice K. Jackson KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Janice K. Jackson is a nationally recognized education leader, speaker, and champion for community engagement, with over 23 years of experience in educational leadership. She is dedicated to expanding access to high-quality education and driving equitable student outcomes.
Previously, Dr. Jackson served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), where she led the nation’s third-largest school district, overseeing 355,000 students, 38,000 employees, and a $7 billion budget. Under her leadership, CPS achieved record-high graduation rates, improved student outcomes across all demographics, and launched groundbreaking initiatives such as Learn. Plan. Succeed., ensuring every high school senior had a concrete post secondary plan.
Now, as CEO of Hope Chicago, she leads a transformative nonprofit committed to advancing economic mobility by providing debt-free college and workforce credentials to students and their parents/ guardians from under-resourced communities. Read more about Dr. Jackson’s career here.
ENTERTAINMENT
Baker College Prep Jazz Band
Founded in Fall 2022 through a collaboration between Noble Schools and Jazz Empowers, the Baker College Prep Jazz Band is a vibrant ensemble dedicated to performing music rooted in the African Diaspora—including jazz, funk, hip-hop, and more. Under the direction of Jazz Empowers instructor Matt Riggen and Baker College Prep’s Juan Tamayo, the program thrives in both small- and large-ensemble formats. Most recently, the band delivered a standout performance at the Noble Music Festival, earning second place among all participating programs.
DJ Jay iLLa
From emcee to b-boy, Jay iLLa has explored nearly every element of hip-hop culture before finding his true passion behind the turntables.
Known as “The Introverted DJ,” Jay blends his deep love for hip-hop with a low-key, authentic vibe. In addition to spinning for various high-profile corporate clients, he has served as the first official sideline DJ for the Chicago Bears for nine consecutive seasons. His dedication to his craft and deep appreciation for music shines through in every set he plays.
Our Mission: Then and Now
Since opening our doors in 1999, Noble Schools has been driven by a simple but powerful belief: every student, regardless of background, deserves access to an excellent education that prepares them for college, leadership, and life.
Guided by our theory of change — which centers on advancing social mobility, increasing life expectancy, building intergenerational wealth, shaping democracy, and driving racial justice — we remain committed to ensuring all students have equitable and positive school experiences that equip them to complete college and lead choice-filled lives.
Over the past 25 years, our mission has grown alongside our students and families. What began as one school in West Town has become one of the most successful charter networks in the country, with 17 schools rooted in the communities we serve and shaped by the voices of our students, families, and staff.
Our Impact: 25 Years of College
For a quarter-century, Noble Schools has worked to rewrite the story of public education in our city. Together, we’ve created pathways to opportunity, access, and success.
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28,000 alumni strong. A growing network of leaders, changemakers, and trailblazers, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college.
Our graduating seniors have earned over $2.6 billion in scholarships in the last five years alone. Students earn hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarships each year to fund their college dreams.
Nearly 5,000 alumni have earned bachelor’s degrees. Combined with the thousands of alumni actively pursuing degrees today, this is a testament to a 25-year investment in college.
But the accurate measure of our impact isn’t found in numbers alone. It’s in the stories of students who’ve made positive multi-generational change a reality, alumni who’ve returned as teachers and leaders, and the thousands of families who have entrusted us with their highest dreams and aspirations.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Next 25 Years
The next 25 years call us to deepen our commitment to equity, innovation, and positive school experiences. We must ensure that every Noble student is not only prepared for college but also positioned to thrive in whatever future they choose.
Achieving this vision will require all of us. Our students’ success has always been a shared endeavor, and your continued partnership makes it possible. Whether you invest your resources or your voice, you are helping build a future where every young person in Chicago has the opportunity to thrive.
Join us as we write the next chapter of Noble’s story and stand with our students as they shape the future of Chicago and beyond.
Donations:
To support our mission of ensuring all students have equitable and positive school experiences that equip them to complete college and lead choice-filled lives, you can donate to the Last Dollar Scholarship through our Noble 25 donation page or through our general donations page.
Connect with Noble's Team:
To engage more deeply with our work, we would love to host you at one of our 17 campuses or at one of our upcoming events, including a graduation or the Summer of a Lifetime Sendoff! Other ways to get involved include:
• Hosting a Noble alumnus as an intern
• Becoming a monthly donor
• Providing career exposure to our students through career fairs and company tours
Legacy Giving:
Join Noble’s Legacy Society! Your planned gift will help us carry out our mission for many years to come and will make a lasting and transformative investment in our students. To learn more about our Legacy Society, please contact us at philanthropy@nobleschools.org.
Congratulations to Noble Schools on reaching an incredible milestone — 25 years of shaping futures and inspiring greatness!
ITW is a proud partner in supporting this remarkable journey.
Growing the nation’s best public charter schools
The Charter School Growth Fund is a national nonprofit that identifies the nation’s best non-profit public charter schools, funds their expansion, and helps to increase their impact.
Students at ITW David Speer Academy.
Congratulations Noble Schools on your 25th Anniversary! Congratulations your 25th Anniversary, Noble Network!
We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with you and especially proud to honor the exceptional students, teachers, and staff who make the DRW College Prep community so special.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We appreciate all of our attendees this evening for your ongoing support of our students, families, and alumni and your continued contributions to fund Noble’s mission. Together, we are building a brighter future. A special thank you to Dr. Janice Jackson, not only for her powerful remarks this evening, but for her unwavering commitment to Chicago’s youth. Noble is fortunate to work alongside Dr. Jackson and her team at Hope Chicago to advance access to high-quality education as a powerful tool to invest in the future of our city, state and nation.
Volunteer Recognition:
We are grateful to our many volunteers who helped make this evening a success. A special shout out to our former colleagues and forever champions Angelica Alfaro and Anthony Briscoe for generously giving their time and talents to our event.
Event Planning Team:
We want to thank the event planning team for their hard work putting together this special celebratory event, including:
• David Brown, Senior Director of Communications
• Gabriele Eimontaite, Development Associate
• Xavier J. Grady, Director of Major Gifts
• Janelle Jones, Senior Communications Manager
• Lorri Marlow, Senior Director of Philanthropic Operations
• Nicole Davis, Cassidy Stratton and the team at Wagner Lane Productions
• Sara Meno and Jennifer Reid Davis, who spearheaded this event from its inception over a year ago.
Vendors:
Baker College Prep Jazz Band
DJ Jay iLLa
Erika Bracey Photography
Field Museum
Food for Thought Frost
Kehoe Designs
Taylor Larue Media
Wagner Lane Productions
