The 24th annual Senior Class Auction, held at Washington’s Grand Hyatt hotel last Saturday as part of Senior Parents’ Weekend, raised between $155,000 and $170,000 in ticket sales, donations, items sold in the silent and live auctions and raffle tickets for the $10,000 cash lottery. All profits will be used by the senior class to support future events, including graduation and the annual Senior Ball held at Union Station. With 1,308 seniors and senior parent attendees, the Oscar Awards-themed event sold out with a waiting list.
“For the first time, we made money off of ticket sales, between $20,000 and $25,000, because more people bought upper level tickets,” said Senior Auction Chairperson Megan Sullivan (CAS ‘05).
Ticket prices ranged from $45 to $150 apiece, based on proximity to the auctioneer. Hors d’oeuvres were available as guests bid on 120 silent auction items, including artwork, weekends at bed and breakfasts, graduation dinners at local venues and sports tickets.
Live auction profits exceeded any earned in previous years, according to Sullivan. Last year, net earnings totaled $130,000. She attributed the auction’s success, raising over 200 percent of the actual worth of items sold, to the fact that multiple parties bid on items together as a single unit. A graduation party on the Leavey Esplanade sold for the highest price at $13,000, followed by a catered dinner in Riggs Library for $11,000 and a party with open bar at Rhino’s for $9,000. All graduation parties offered sold for an average of $9,000, which was 150 percent more than last year’s $6,000, Sullivan said.
“It was really clear that parents were there to support their children and their children’s class,” Sullivan said.
