Join Us!
Join Us!
Northstar's Illumination Gala will be held on Friday, March 21st, 2025 at the Headhouse of Main Street Station featuring live music, delicious food, and cocktails, and an exciting silent auction.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships
Your support will directly impact our students with disabilities, helping them achieve educational excellence and career opportunities. Join us in creating a brighter future for our students and a more dynamic workforce for the Greater Richmond community.
Click here to view available sponsorships!
Navigator Awards
We can't wait to celebrate this year's Northstar Navigator Award for Enduring Support honoree at the 2025 gala! Join us on Friday, March 21, for an inspiring evening as we honor Donna Bower—a dedicated Northstar volunteer for over 27 years.
Donna helped launch Northstar’s first fundraisers and remains one of our strongest advocates in the community. Her generosity—through time, talents, and treasures—has made a lasting impact on our school.
Donna's dedication shines through her own words: "My years of serving Northstar were a labor of love for a school that has played such a vital role in the lives of special needs children and their families."
Thank You to our Generous Sponsors!
Thank You to our Generous Sponsors!
Thank you to our amazing individual sponsors!
Anonymous
Dr. Richard L. Bennett
Page & John Corey
Beth & Chris Daly
Mary & Lem Doss
Kathleen McCauley & Edward Fishback
Katie & Michael Jarvis
Nancy & Jay Jordan
Laura & Steve McCoy
Whitney & Tom Parfitt
Kathleen & Robert Redmond
Jeni & Tom Reedy
Pam & Mark Sweeney
Allison & Watson Wright
Rebecca & Ben Winters
Melissa & Tyler Whitley
Who We Are
Who We Are
Northstar is the premier school for learning differences in Central Virginia with a mission to promote educational excellence and career opportunities for students with disabilities who have academic, physical or social challenges. The Illumination Gala is an essential part of Northstar's ability to continue that mission.
We proudly offer two programs—Northstar Academy and Northstar Career Center—serving students with disabilities who face academic, physical, or social challenges. Through specialized instruction, small classes, and expert faculty, we help students reach their full potential.
Northstar supports a wide range of abilities, including 12 of the 13 disabilities under IDEA. With differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and hands-on worksite experience, students learn and apply skills in real-life settings, benefiting from peer collaboration and leadership development.
Can't join us for the party? Show you care with a gift!
Every gift, large or small, makes a meaningful difference in the life of a student with disabilities on their educational journey. Make your tax-deductible gift right now by clicking this link (https://cbo.io/d/donate.php?slug=northstar) or texting "northstar" to 855.800.4975.
For questions related to Northstar's Gala, please contact Susan Herzick, Director of Development at sherzick@northstarva.org.