Where Achievement Grows: A Night of Celebration at the Midtown-Metro Soirée

 

May 16, 2025- Chicago, IL
The 9th Annual Soirée was an evening filled with joy and generosity. Organized by the Midtown-Metro Auxiliary Board, the event successfully raised over $60,000 to support their Midtown and Metro Achievement Centers

One of the most meaningful moments of the evening came with the announcement of Katie Knapp as the the winner of the inaugural Sam Bell Volunteer Impact Award, presented by the Sam Bell Memorial Foundation. This special award honors the outstanding contributions of a volunteer who has shown exceptional dedication to the Midtown-Metro community.

Katie Knapp (center ) with Kevin Klein (left) and Paul Diebel (right).

Katie Knapp, a senior financial analyst at Northwestern Medicine, has been volunteering with the Metro Achievement Center for nearly 10 years. She has tutored students across all levels—from elementary through high school—helping them navigate key academic milestones like the high school application process and, more recently, the college application journey. Katie’s impact extends beyond tutoring; she has personally and anonymously sponsored multiple students, further demonstrating her commitment to the success of our students.

Alongside the award presentation, we also recognized our exceptional Program Volunteers of the Year. These individuals have gone above and beyond in their roles, demonstrating immense dedication and heart in the work they do with our students.

From left: Pilar Pardo (Metro Center Director), Paige Smith, Nicole Anderson, Katie Knapp, Billy Kacey, Dan Tarchala, Daniel Matamoros (Midtown Center Director).

Metro Nominees:

  • One (3rd–5th Grade): Paige Smith

  • MAP (6th–8th Grade): Nicole Anderson

  • COP (9th–12th Grade): Katie Knapp

Midtown Nominees:

  • One (3rd–5th Grade): Newton Lih

  • MAP (6th–8th Grade): Billy Kacey

  • COP (9th–12th Grade): Dan Tarchala

We are incredibly grateful for the time, effort, and passion our volunteers bring to the Midtown-Metro family. Their tireless work helps our students achieve their academic and personal goals, and makes our programs stronger every year. Their contributions are a testament to the theme "Where Achievement Grows" – a place where our students and community flourish together.

A heartfelt thank you to our Auxiliary Board, whose hard work and dedication made this event possible. Their tireless efforts in organizing the Soirée ensured it was a huge success, and we are so grateful for their support.

Midtown-Metro Auxiliary Board

We would also like to extend our deepest thanks to our generous sponsors, whose support makes everything we do possible:

Gold Sponsors:

  • Benesch Law

  • Michael & Diane Morefield

  • Winston & Strawn LLP

  • Shore Capital Partners

Silver Sponsors:

  • BMO

  • CIBC

Bronze Sponsors:

  • AB Bernstein

  • Ferrara

  • Fifth Third Bank

  • Sam Bell Memorial Foundation

  • The Vigne Family

Thanks to everyone who joined us at this year’s Soirée, and to all of our supporters, volunteers, and donors who make our work possible. We look forward to many more nights of celebration, and we’re already planning for next year!

About Midtown-Metro Achievement Centers: Midtown-Metro Achievement Centers (www.midtown-metro.org), through its Metro Achievement Center for girls and Midtown Achievement Center for boys, has helped close the achievement gap for underserved students in Chicago since its founding in 1965.  Its programming, focusing on academic excellence, virtue development, individual attention, and parental engagement, has led to 100% high school graduation and college enrollment for its students for over 20 consecutive years.



 
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