Promoting
eXcellent Communities, Education, and Leadership

The XCELerator: Gala Edition

A Night of Xcellence:

Reflections on Our Annual Gala

^{Charlene (our Executive Director) with her family and Reivan Douglas (the MC, standing)}

Dear Friends & Supporters

What an incredible evening! On April 11th, the Blue Heron in High Point was transformed into a hub of celebration, style, and—most importantly—gratitude. From the moment our "tailored and tuxed" guests checked in by scanning a QR code on their personal phones to access a form, it was clear this year’s gala would be a landmark event.

🌟Leadership Spotlight:
Angie Williams

^{left to right: Dexter (Angie's son) & Angie}

Before we dive into the night's festivities, we must give a huge shout-out to our new Development Director, Angie Williams.

Angie had just joined the team when she was thrust into the helm of spearheading the gala preparation. From sponsorship and donation solicitations to overseeing the communications, marketing, and administrative tasks, she was the engine that made this success possible. Angie, we are so proud of you! Your determination to succeed and the grit with which you approach every task are commendable and certainly haven't gone unnoticed. Thank you for all you do to help keep this ship afloat and on course!

📸 The Red Carpet Experience

The glamour began immediately with Red Carpet Interviews hosted by Valerie. She spoke with the people who make Operation Xcel flow—from our Executive Director and board members to parents, students, and community members. These interviews provided powerful "verbal imagery" of the milestones and the deep impact our mission has on everyone's lives in our community.

🥂 "Pinkies Up" & The Raffle

From 5:00 to 6:00 PM, guests mingled on the terrace, in the gardens overlooking a lovely pond complete with new blooms, and on the patio.

The Bites: A delicious spread of pimento cheese, hummus, and salsa served with crackers, toast, and chips.
The Sips: Our signature cocktails/mocktails—Community Crush, Xcellence, Education Libation, and Leadership Lemonade—were back by popular demand!
The Raffle: For just $5 a ticket, guests used our "bag system" to bid on amazing prizes. We saw plenty of excitement over the Wet & Wild and Triad Bowling packages, Breakout Games passes, and the elegant wine-and-dinner basket with gift cards from Bravo Italian Cucina.

🍽️ A Feast for the Senses

At 6:00 PM, Pepper Moon Catering served a spectacular four-course
meal. Throughout the program, DJ Rudd set the perfect mood with a wonderful mix of Pop, Smooth Jazz, Latin, and 80's and 90's hits.

Course	Offerings
First Course	Fresh salad greens with a choice of balsamic or ranch dressing
The Main	Chicken Marsala, Beef, or Quinoa Stuffed Bell Pepper
On the Side	Fresh seasonal vegetables, roasted potatoes, and warm rolls
Dessert	Cheesecake Parfait or Chocolate Mousse Filled Cake

Once the formal program concluded, the energy shifted—the dance floor truly "jumped off" as guests celebrated a successful night of giving!

🎓 Student Spotlight:
From Operation Xcel to Aggie Pride

We were honored to welcome back Jeremiah Pettyjohn, a former Operation Xcel student and current Freshman Honors Marketing student at North Carolina A&T State University, as our guest speaker at this year's gala.

Jeremiah’s journey is a powerful testament to what happens when we invest in the potential of our youth. Reflecting on his time with the program, Jeremiah shared that Operation Xcel was more than just a place for homework help—it was the launchpad for his leadership.

"I didn't just participate in my environment, I pursued leadership within it," Jeremiah told the audience. "Operation Xcel didn’t just prepare me academically; it prepared me to lead, to speak up, and to step into rooms with confidence."

During his high school career, Jeremiah served as student government president and president of National Honor society. He credits the "discipline and accountability" he learned at Operation Xcel for giving him the resilience to navigate the challenges of a competitive university environment.

As he looks toward a bright future in marketing, Jeremiah’s message to our supporters was clear: “You are not just funding programs. You are shaping futures.” We are so proud of this Aggie and cannot wait to see the "extraordinary outcomes" his intentional actions continue to produce!

👇Learn More About Jeremiah's Journey 👇

Check out the Blog

Check Out the Article on LinkedIn

🏆 The Xcellence Awards

We were proud to recognize the students, community influencers, and parents who make our vision a reality.

Student Xcellence Awards

Across our seven campuses, these students represent the spirit of Xcellence, Resilience, and Creativity:

Ahou Tieba	Jeremiah Dunn	Paisley Williams
Amariah Amo Kuffoud	Johan Kornegay	Phoenix Wright
David Carter	Juliet Williams	Quinn Collins
Dylan Jones	Jy’Larren Haizlip	Samari Cooper
Ethan Navarro	Kayden Oliver	Va’Shawn Garrett
Forrest Bowman	Kenji Price	Xavier Carrera
Ginni Wang	Lynnlee King	Zach Cormier

Parent, Staff, & Community Xcellence

Staff Recognition
(Lori Walton):

Lori (Family Engagement Specialist) was recognized for her creative
and person-centered approach
and her unique gift for putting
others at ease while encouraging
them to be their best selves.

Parent Appreciation:

For the first year, we recognized parents with appreciation awards. Because of their instrumental support, this will now be an annual tradition. We honor: Dora Campo, Nicole Peoples, and Toni Jones-Mossi.

Community Xcellence Partners

Steve Palcsak (Board Member)
Dr. Pamela Palmer (Consultant)
Pastor Ed McKinney & Stokesdale UMC (Site Host)

🔗 Stay Connected

Relive the Memories: Stay tuned! The gala page on our website will soon be updated with a full gallery of pictures from the event.

Did the Photographer Capture Your Image at the Gala?
Click here and let us know that you want a copy.

Get Involved: Inspired by this year's success? We would love to have you! If you are interested in joining the planning committee or working with the development team on future events and solicitations, please reach out to us..

Click here to let us know if you want to help with future events.