A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

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January 7, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

Celebrating 30 years of Notre Dame Prep with the Irish Legacy Gala.

The adage, “everything old is new again” is taking on a whole new meaning this year with the Irish Legacy Gala. An event conceived by the Parents Club, the gala is designed to weave Notre Dame Prep’s rich 30-year history through a fun night of dinner, dancing, auctions and entertainment, all designed to benefit scholarships for future Fighting Irish students.

“The school used to put on a gala years ago and the parents in our community have been looking to bring it back,” said event co-chair Luain Hajjar. “Because we've experienced our school’s 30th anniversary, it gives us a great jumping off point to celebrate our rich history.”

The gala will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Palazzo Grande in Shelby Township. Current families, alumni from NDP and its heritage schools, friends and retired teachers and staff, and current faculty, staff and coaches are encouraged to attend.

“The gala is really about bringing our school community together,” Hajjar said. “We eventually want this to be the major social event of the year for our families to have a place to meet old friends and make new ones, plus it is a great way to benefit the school’s annual fund.”

Co-chair Nicole Rocco explained that each year moving forward, proceeds from the gala will be designated toward an area of most need to help offset the school’s operating budget. Annually, tuition alone only covers about 80 percent of operating costs. This year, organizers selected the Gateway Scholarship program as the beneficiary. Gateway assists families looking to attend NDP but need a little extra help with tuition. In the 2023-2024 school year, nearly $1 million in scholarships were awarded to families.

In addition to a strolling dinner and appetizers, attendees can look forward to both a silent auction, raffles and door prizes, all while dancing to the music of The Matt Kysia Band featuring alumnus Monica Notaro NDP’07, who performs for the Detroit Red Wings and Tigers games. Head of School Andrew Guest will also give brief remarks.

“The gala is more than just a celebration—it is a vital opportunity to come together as a community in support of our mission to nurture the minds and hearts of our students. By participating, you are helping to ensure that we can continue offering a transformative Catholic education, grounded in faith, academic excellence, and service. It is also a night of joy, connection, and fellowship, where we can celebrate the spirit of our school while strengthening the bonds that make our community so special. Together, we create the future of NDP—one that will continue to inspire the next generation of Fighting Irish,” Guest said.

While Rocco was quick to keep many details under wraps, she and the other co-chairs agreed, this night is one that families will not want to miss out on. Currently, event organizers are soliciting corporate sponsorships, and high-end ticket items for the silent auction.

“All donations are accepted,” Hajjar said.

Tickets can be purchased online at ndprep.org/gala and are $125 per person. Sponsorships can also be purchased online via the same link. For questions, including how to donate items, experiences, or packages for the auction, email ndpgalacommittee@gmail.com.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndprep.org.