Earlier this summer, WITS unveiled The UnGala: a deconstructed gala highlighting the main elements of a traditional event through a series of Alice in Wonderland themed virtual events, culminating in an evening of celebration across the City.
We are thrilled to have the WITS community come together during these events to help WITS provide programming to thousands of Chicago Public School students during these unprecedented times. The four deconstructed gala events take place on Thursdays every month from September through December and feature an element of a traditional gala.
September: Curious Cocktails
The first UnGala event was part of “Down the Rabbit Hole Cocktail Party” series hosted by the WITS Associates Board. 35 members of the WITS community joined us for a virtual bartending class hosted by UnMuddled on September 24th. Event goers made two Alice in Wonderland tea-infused themed cocktails: an Old Fashioned in Wonderland and a Tea Party Sour. It was a magical time filled with lots of laughs and learning.
October: Caterpillar’s Education Series: A School Through the Looking Glass
WITS is hosting our first Education Series panel on October 29th at 12pm CST. At this event we will take an intimate look into Walsh Elementary School’s response to COVID-19 and remote learning. This panel will feature a conversation with Principal Reynolds, long-time Walsh Kindergarten teacher Ms. Benes, parent and Pilsen local school council member Laura Mays, and her 6th grade twin sons Atticus and Elliot. This webinar is free for all and will feature a Q&A section with Principal Reynolds and the attendees after the panel. This event is sponsored by longtime WITS corporate partners, Aon and William Blair.
We hope you will join us to learn more and participate in open discussions surrounding these relevant topics.
November: The Duchess’ Cooking Class
The second “Down the Rabbit Hole Cocktail Party” event hosted by the Associates Board is an interactive cooking class hosted by The Chopping Block on November 12th at 7:00pm. An esteemed chef will be preparing an autumnal themed meal full of fall favorites. Participants can choose to follow along or sit back and relax. An ingredient list will be sent out beforehand and the session will be recorded so you can make this delicious meal again. Tickets are $50 per screen, and we hope you’ll join in on the fun.
December: The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
The main event is the Mad Hatter’s Tea party on December 3rd at 7:30pm. WITS will host a live-streamed event featuring award acceptances from our two honorees, Jennifer Alter Warden and PPM America / Jackson. It also will include videos and a State of WITS address by WITS CEO, Tena Latona. The WITS community is invited to join us, and participants will receive a link to access the virtual event after donating. While there is no minimum donation required to attend, this is a fundraising event. Every dollar makes a difference to WITS and helps us keep the doors open and provide programming to thousands of CPS students. We hope you will join us on December 3rd!
