The Highland Park Education Foundation (HPEF) celebrated successfully raising $1.7M
through its annual Mad for Plaid campaign. This amount was pledged by HPEF to the District going
into the 2023-24 school year, upon a request from HPISD to help fund 1% of a 5% raise for teacher
and staff salaries. To celebrate a successful campaign and thank patron donors who made this
possible, the Foundation hosted an evening of gratitude on Wednesday, February 28, at the home of
Joanna and David Iliff on Beverly Drive, with Vista Bank as the event sponsor.
During the reception, guests mixed and mingled while enjoying drinks and appetizers catered by Nick
and Sam’s. Attendees included Bryce Benson, Maryjane and Chris Bonfield, Liza and Jae Ellis, Ellen
and Paul Lee, Kelly and John Diehl, Frances Mitchell, Laurie and Mark Aldredge, Judy and Jim Gibbs,
Catherine Seals, Beth and Nick Peters, Christopher McGuire, Vista Bank President and CEO John
Steinmetz and Sr. Vice President Adam Hefton, HPISD Superintendent Dr. Mike Rockwood and wife
Jené, and HPEF’s Board President Bill Ogle and wife Lisa.
HPEF Executive Director Meg Boyd provided opening remarks and thanked everyone for their
generosity, and then introduced the guest speaker for the evening, HPISD Superintendent Dr. Mike
Rockwood, who joined the District in April 2023. “The Mad for Plaid campaign epitomizes the
incredible community support we have for Highland Park schools,” said Dr. Rockwood. “This
initiative is not only appreciated, but it is vital to ensure our teachers and staff are more
competitively compensated. A sincere thank you to each and every individual who contributed to this
worthy cause.”
The Foundation would like to thank this year’s Mad for Plaid Co-Chairs Kamela and Kenneth Aboussie,
Claire and Andy Baker, Mary Katharine and Martin Gill, and Chris Palmer and Terry Steger. It would
also like to thank our Mad for Plaid Campus Reps, Grandparent Committee, Patron donors ($1,000+)
and MFP Leadership Society donors ($10,000+). We are all “Mad for Plaid!”
2023-2024 Mad for Plaid Leadership Society as of March 6:
Visionary ($50,000+)
Clements Foundation
Judy Jackson Gray, in memory of C.D. Bowlby
La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas
Park Cities Dads Club Teachers Cup
Legacy ($25,000-$49,999)
Kamela & Kenneth Aboussie
Robin & Bernay Box
Simon and Louise Henderson Foundation
Maleiah & Ryan Rogers
The Trinity Family Foundation - Elisa & Stephen Summers
Luminary ($10,000-$24,999)
Anonymous (4)
Lori & Jon Altschuler
Carol & Taylor Armstrong
Heather & Ray Balestri
Stacy & Tyler Burke
MacKenzie & Benjamin Carpenter
Sylvie & Gary Crum
The Dreyfuss Family
The Gwinn Family
Judy & Jim Gibbs
Kim & Chuck Giglio
The Hankins Foundation
The Hegi Family
Jean & Jason Signor
Joanna & David Iliff
Ellen & Clayton Kershaw
Catherine & Chuck Lundberg
Luther King Capital Management
Carolyn & David Miller
Origin Bank
Nancy Poole
Gail & Dan Settle
Catherine & Tom Sharpe
Ann & Jeff Swope
The Trammell Foundation
Vista Bank
The Bill and Katie Weaver Charitable Trust
The Gil and Dody Weaver Foundation
Kathy & John Yeaman