Education has always been a pathway to possibility.
During Black History Month, JAG Pennsylvania's inaugural gala will honor generations who expanded access to education, leadership and opportunity—while investing in the young people who will shape Pennsylvania's future.
One gala. Five priorities. A year of impact.
Fueling Dreams. Building Futures. launches a broader JAG Pennsylvania fundraising campaign supporting student career development, after-school and out-of-school programming, in-school programming, school expansion and flexible organizational needs.
The gala provides a highly visible starting point, while grants, individual giving, major gifts, school partnerships, corporate investment and year-round outreach continue throughout the campaign period.
Flexible Mission Support
Flexible annual support for JAG Pennsylvania's highest approved priorities, organizational capacity and emerging opportunities.
National Career Development Conference
Help students represent Pennsylvania nationally through career competitions, leadership experiences, employer engagement and professional development.
Local Career Development Conferences
Expand Pennsylvania-based competitions, employer challenges, career exploration and student leadership opportunities.
Out-of-School & After-School Programs
Support after-school, summer, re-engagement, mentoring, career exposure, employer visits and community-based programming.
In-School Programs & Partner Expansion
Strengthen current JAG PA school programs while helping launch partnerships with additional schools throughout Pennsylvania.
An evening centered on students and possibility.
The inaugural gala is designed to feel polished, celebratory and welcoming while keeping young people and the JAG Pennsylvania mission at the center of the evening.
Students and alumni will help tell the JAG PA story through their experiences, ambitions and the skills they are building for what comes next.
Become a founding gala partner.
Sponsorship is the primary revenue engine of the inaugural gala. Packages recognize partners while protecting limited seating and keeping students and JAG Pennsylvania's mission central to the experience.
Lead the inaugural gala.
Exclusive presented-by recognition, table of eight, premier logo placement, stage acknowledgment, full-page ad, VIP access, leadership engagement and annual impact briefing.
One AvailableAlign with JAG PA's vision.
Six seats, prominent recognition, stage acknowledgment, full-page ad, VIP access and annual impact reporting.
Up to TwoInvest in what comes next.
Four seats, event and digital recognition, stage acknowledgment, full-page ad and post-event impact update.
Up to FourOpen a door.
Two seats, event and digital recognition, half-page ad and post-event impact update.
Up to SixStand with young people.
Recognition in gala program and digital materials. Tickets are separate unless otherwise provided in an approved agreement.
Subject to InventoryFrom access to opportunity: a legacy still being written.
JAG Pennsylvania's inaugural gala takes place during Black History Month. The evening will honor selected milestones in the long movement to expand educational access for Black Americans—and connect that history to the next generation of leadership, careers and economic opportunity.
Education after emancipation
The Freedmen's Bureau was established as the nation entered Reconstruction. The National Archives notes that some of the first Black schools were established under its direction, reflecting education's central role in freedom and self-determination.
National Archives ↗Rosenwald Schools
Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald and Black communities helped expand educational opportunity across the rural South. By 1932, the Rosenwald School Program had helped build thousands of schools serving hundreds of thousands of Black students.
Library of Congress ↗Negro History Week
Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson initiated Negro History Week as an educational effort to center Black history, achievement and contribution in the nation's understanding of its own story.
Library of Congress ↗Brown v. Board of Education
In Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state-sanctioned racial segregation in public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment. Monroe Elementary in Topeka is part of this landmark story of education and equal protection.
National Archives ↗The Little Rock Nine
Nine Black students challenged resistance to school desegregation at Little Rock Central High School. Their courage demonstrated that legal change still required persistence, protection and action to become lived educational access.
National Park Service ↗Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 strengthened the legal framework against discrimination, addressed school desegregation and prohibited discrimination in federally assisted programs.
National Archives ↗Expanding federal education access
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act expanded the federal role in educational opportunity, school support and access to postsecondary education.
U.S. Department of Education ↗Black History Month
Fifty years after Woodson's first Negro History Week, the observance expanded into the month-long national commemoration now recognized each February.
Library of Congress ↗Building the next chapter
JAG Pennsylvania connects the continuing legacy of educational access to career readiness, leadership, mentorship, credentials, employer relationships and pathways to meaningful work for the next generation.
The gala's Black History Month theme is not only about remembrance. It asks what we will do with the doors that previous generations fought to open—and how we will equip today's young people to enter emerging industries, build economic mobility and lead what comes next.
Recognizing leaders who turn access into opportunity.
The inaugural gala will recognize leaders whose service, advocacy, mentorship and public leadership strengthen pathways for young people. Honoree names will be announced after invitations and participation are formally confirmed.
Torchbearer Award for Youth & Community Leadership
Honoring a leader whose example, mentorship, community service and public influence open doors for young people and inspire the next generation.
Pathways to Possibility Award for Education & Civic Leadership
Honoring public leadership that strengthens education, families, community resources and the civic conditions young people need to learn, grow and succeed.
Bridge Builder Award for Equity & Opportunity
Honoring leadership that connects policy, advocacy, education and economic opportunity while challenging barriers that limit the futures of young people.
Join us for the inaugural celebration.
Ticketing will be managed through JAG Pennsylvania's Zeffy event platform. General ticket categories are shown below; VIP benefits and inventory will be added once finalized.
General admission for one guest to the inaugural gala.
Zeffy Ticketing Coming SoonLimited accessible-price inventory for alumni and young adults.
Zeffy Ticketing Coming SoonReserved admission for eight guests without sponsor recognition.
Zeffy Ticketing Coming SoonVIP benefits, access and package pricing will be announced later.
Package Coming SoonBlack history, student voice and the future in one experience.
The gala will connect remembrance with action—inviting guests to reflect on the legacy of educational access, hear directly from young people and imagine the industries, careers and opportunities the next generation will enter.
A visual journey connecting milestones in Black educational history to today's work around career readiness, leadership and economic opportunity.
Student and alumni ambitions, career goals, educational journeys and approved personal stories.
A forward-looking display connecting representation and opportunity to technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, skilled trades and other career sectors.
Guests leave encouragement, advice and commitments for the young people who will shape Pennsylvania's future.
Guests record brief career advice, reflections on opportunity and words of encouragement for JAG students.
A clear, interactive explanation of the statewide campaign and the five areas guests can help strengthen.
A purposeful evening from reflection to action.
The final gala program will be added here once the event program, speakers, entertainment and production sequence are confirmed.
The guest journey will remain student-centered, mission-forward and intentionally connected to Black History Month, JAG Pennsylvania's statewide campaign and the future opportunities we want young people to access.
Official Program Coming SoonReception & Networking
Relationship-building among sponsors, educators, workforce leaders, community partners and guests.
Student & Alumni Welcome
Young people help establish the purpose of the evening through their experiences and aspirations.
Dinner & Mission Storytelling
Dinner paired with concise storytelling about education, career readiness and statewide impact.
Black History Reflection & Honoree Recognition
A focused connection between educational history, leadership, service and the people opening doors today.
Campaign Case & Live Appeal
The five campaign priorities come together in one invitation to invest in young people across Pennsylvania.
Connection, Gratitude & What Comes Next
The evening closes with celebration, stewardship, relationship-building and a forward-looking call to action.
Partnership makes the inaugural gala possible.
Approved sponsor logos will be added as founding gala partnerships are confirmed.
Logo Coming Soon
Logo Coming Soon
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Frequently asked questions.
Is JAG PA trying to raise $338,000 on gala night?
No. $338,000 is the full 12-month campaign target. The inaugural gala launches and anchors the campaign. Fundraising continues through grants, major gifts, corporate partnerships, school partnerships, individual giving and other year-round outreach.
What are the five campaign priorities?
The campaign includes Greatest Need, the National Career Development Conference, Local Career Development Conferences, Out-of-School and After-School Programs, and In-School Programs and Partner Expansion.
Can I choose what my contribution supports?
Donors may make a written designation to an approved campaign priority. Undesignated gifts support Greatest Need and other approved organizational priorities.
Is gala sponsorship the same as a designated program gift?
No. Gala sponsorship supports the event and its broader fundraising purpose unless a separate written agreement specifically creates another designation.
Why is Black History Month part of the gala experience?
The gala is planned during Black History Month and uses education as a bridge between remembrance and the future. The experience honors selected milestones in Black educational history while connecting that legacy to leadership, career readiness, economic mobility and opportunity for today's young people.
What will gala tickets cost?
Individual tickets are planned at $100, Alumni / Young Adult tickets at $45, and a Table of Eight at $800. VIP package details will be announced separately.
When will tickets go on sale?
Public ticketing will open through JAG Pennsylvania's Zeffy event page once the event listing and ticket inventory are finalized.
When will honorees be announced?
Honoree names will be announced after invitations, participation and public recognition are formally confirmed.
Can an honoree also support or sponsor the gala?
An honoree may independently choose to support JAG Pennsylvania, but recognition is not conditioned on a donation, sponsorship, ticket purchase or fundraising commitment.
Fuel a dream. Build a future.
Become a founding sponsor, join the inaugural celebration or invest directly in one of JAG Pennsylvania's five statewide campaign priorities.