Chili Peppers, Onions, and Wasabi Help Bring $5k Telethon Success

Photo credit FFWPU

Chili peppers, onions, and wasabi. Those were just a few of the unusual things involved in the recent virtual telethon fundraiser for Bridgeport International Academy (BIA), which raised more than $5,000 for its student scholarship fund.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of our donors for your generosity” said BIA Headmaster Dr. Frank LaGrotteria. “It was exceeded by a wide margin from any previous attempt.”

Fifty-three donors pledged $5,060 on BIA’s GoFundMe page during the virtual telethon. The private college preparatory school, founded in 1997 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has an international student body which includes Unificationists. The school strives for every graduate to become “a global citizen who can make a profound and lasting difference in their college careers and beyond.”

“This was BIA’s first telethon,” said fundraiser coordinator Daniel Kingsley. “It was a student-driven event and every penny that was raised in the telethon will go directly to BIA’s scholarship fund to help current and future students at BIA meet the world for years to come.”

Streaming live on Facebook April 23, the telethon, which ran from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. EDT, was a new approach to the school’s annual benefit night. It was full of student talent, including music, skits, singing, dancing, poetry, cat videos, computer tricks, as well as some unappetizing food challenges.

“Can’t wait to see what happens with these [chili] peppers,” read one Facebook comment.

Students entertained the virtual audience while performing in various categories. And as donations poured in, two emcees—Micas Wetherall and Joseph Lopez—gulped down tomato juice and pickle juice while blindfolded, took whipped cream pies to the face, and ate raw onions and wasabi to help the fundraiser reach its $5,000 goal. BIA faculty joined in on the action, too, chomping on whole chili peppers.

“The pickle juice was kind of good,” said Wetherall. 

Donors were recognized with a small or large engraved dove, depending on donation size, which are hung on the Dove Wall in the front of BIA. Four students were also honored, receiving small plaques for BIA’s Four Pillars Awards that recognize academics, creativity, global citizenship, and character.

“I am very grateful that I could contribute greatly to this school,” said Liam Meijer, a student photographer awarded for his creativity.

Meijer, Hien Phan, Keita Yamada, and Chau Giang “Alvia” Pham will have their names displayed next to past award recipients in BIA’s Spurgin Hall.

“These students have such talent, such gifts,” said Dr. LaGrotteria, “and I’m so moved by them. Here at BIA we honor these four pillars of excellence as the foundation of what we do. This is what it’s all about… and that’s what we’ve seen with this evening’s telethon.”

Have a story you’d like to share from your community? You can submit it to info@unification.org.