Fight For Children is proud to announce that School Night 2008 raised $1.5 million to support DC public, charter, and independent schools. More than 800 education supporters filled the Washington Convention Center to learn the winners of Fight For Children’s Quality Schools Initiative Awards program.

At the culmination of School Night, School Night Chairman Sheila C. Johnson joined Fight for Children Chairman Joseph E. Robert and CEO Michela English to announce the awarding of $100,000 grants to three DC schools: Strong John Thomson Elementary School, E.L. Haynes Public Charter School, and San Miguel School. These three “Champions of Quality” – one public, one public charter and one independent school – fit multiple eligibility requirements for the program, including increased student achievement and demonstrated best practices based on quality indicators in the areas of leadership, instruction, and professional development.

Four runners-up–Cleveland Elementary School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, Capital City Public Charter School, and Washington Jesuit Academy each received $10,000 cash grants.

To learn more about the winners and finalists, click here.

Fight For Children unveiled two innovative “systems of giving” at School Night that allowed guests to make an immediate, high-impact benefit to local schools – “The Hall of Art” and a new partnership with DonorsChoose.org. “The Hall of Art” showcased a gallery of art created by DC schoolchildren. Fight for Children donated 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the art directly to the student artists’ schools. As part of its partnership with DonorsChoose.org, Fight for Children presented School Night guests with $100 gift cards to DonorsChoose.org, a direct-donation website to benefit America’s classrooms. School Night guests redeemed these gift cards at six computer kiosks connected to the Internet, allowing guests to directly fund DC classroom projects.

Five-time Grammy winner John Legend headlined the evening’s entertainment. His debut studio album, Get Lifted, went platinum. He is currently working on his third, as yet untitled, studio album. Legend has long been involved in charities and philanthropy worldwide.

Fight For Children is grateful to the many individual and corporate sponsors of School Night, including Terry & Kathleen Golden, Donald E. Graham, Sheila C. Johnson, Joseph E. Robert, Jr., CityBridge Foundation, Freddie Mac Foundation, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, the Kimsey Foundation, and Verizon Wireless. Click here for a complete list of sponsors and supporters.

To learn how you can still help, contact Jeff Travers at Fight For Children at 202-772-0436 or jeff.travers@fightforchildren.org.