2024-2025 MANAS Annual Report
A Note from the MANA President
The 2024–2025 school year reflects intentional, student-centered investment made possible directly through your generosity. Through MANAS Night Out, community giving initiatives, and the SWCC 5K, we directed funds toward clearly identified priorities in partnership with school leadership. These investments strengthened instructional spaces, expanded enrichment programming, and supported educator sustainability.
Your contributions resulted in new classroom furniture for Grades 6–8, classroom enhancements including rugs and a bookshelf, expanded gym resources and a sensory wall, teacher stipends for after-school STEM and music programming, robotics competition participation, musical production support, and improvements to staff spaces. The impact of community giving is visible throughout our building and felt by students and educators every day.
Collectively, our community raised $137,500 this past year through MANAS Night Out, the SWCC 5K, and sustained year-round giving. This remarkable achievement reflects the generosity and commitment of our families, teachers, volunteers, sponsors, and neighbors. We truly could not accomplish this work without you. The pages that follow highlight the many meaningful ways your support has been invested, strengthening classrooms, expanding enrichment opportunities, supporting educators, and enhancing the overall student experience at Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy.
We remain deeply grateful for your partnership and committed to transparent stewardship as we continue building on this momentum in the year ahead.
With gratitude,
Lexi Muench
A Note from the HSA
Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, the Home & School Association (HSA) remained committed to strengthening the connection between families, students, and staff while supporting the vibrant community at Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy. Throughout the year, we organized and supported events that brought our school community together, including the Back to School Jam, Movie Night, Fall Feast, Teacher Appreciation Week and Fun Day.
The HSA was also honored to support the Black Heritage Oratorical Program and continues to look for meaningful ways to celebrate our students and build connections within our school community. We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with MANAS, who contributed $15,000 to the HSA of to help fund student experiences, family engagement, and school community events throughout the school year. As we look ahead in the current school year, we are excited to once again support upcoming initiatives such as the Scholastic Book Fair and celebrate important milestones, including Kindergarten and 8th Grade closing exercises. We are thankful for the families, staff members, and volunteers who continue to show up, lend a hand, and keep the Wildcat spirit strong for our amazing scholars!
On Behalf of the HSA,
Alex Walker, HSA Chair
MANA Principal Dr. Nicole Patterson
Dear MANA/MANAS Community
At Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy, we continue to be inspired by the brilliance, diversity, and advocacy of our scholars and the unwavering strength of our community. As I am proudly entering my junior year serving Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy, I am filled with gratitude for how far we have come and excitement for where we are headed.
Last year, under our theme Change Makers: It Starts with Us!, we witnessed tremendous growth, joy, and transformation across our school community. This year, we build on that momentum with our new theme: Change Makers: Powered by Purpose. Purpose fuels our work. Purpose guides our decisions. Purpose empowers our scholars to lead with confidence, compassion, and courage.
Our educator staff continues to grow, strengthening the foundation of excellence that defines Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy. With each new team member, we deepen our commitment to scholar achievement, innovation, and equity. Joy fills our building from powerful Oratorical performances to our magical Disney musical, from heartwarming Kinder & Me moments to the many celebrations and milestones that bring our families together. These experiences reflect who we are: a vibrant, learning community where every child is seen, heard, and valued.
Excellence remains at the heart of all we do. We continue to see year-over-year academic growth in Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts, reinforcing our commitment to high expectations and strong instructional practices. Beyond the classroom, our scholars shine through Spelling Bee competitions, Robotics, Middle School sports, Academy Tours, field trips, and meaningful community engagement opportunities.
As we look ahead, we remain focused on cultivating scholar self-efficacy, strengthening partnerships, and redefining what a great school truly means. Together, powered by purpose, we will continue creating spaces where scholars thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Thank you for your continued partnership and belief in our mission. The best is yet to come.
In service and partnership,
Dr. Nicole Patterson, Principal
FoCA Night Out 2025
On March 22, 2025, the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy community got together for our annual fundraiser, The Night Out. The 23rd Street Armory was popping with more than 250 guests! We enjoyed a fun evening of dancing, socializing with neighbors, great food, a new Human Slot machine game, and an exciting silent auction, vital to our fundraising efforts. Because of the community’s incredible generosity, we raised more than $112,000 for continued support of curriculum investments, technology upgrades, and dynamic programming. Thanks to our incredible team of hard working committee volunteers, school staff, and MANAS board members. The incredible MANA community showed up big time for another successful event!
With the exciting percussion of Batala Philly, the flash appeal at the event raised $10,000 that goes directly toward making gymnasium improvements and building a sensory room. And our silent auction sold 202 items for a total of $29,200.
One thing that makes our community special is the continued loyal support of local businesses. Year after year, businesses in Philadelphia bolster the event by offering sponsorships, food, and auction items. Thank you to all businesses for your yearly support. More than half of the money raised comes through business partnerships.
MANAS’ The Night Out’s top $5,000 sponsor is the Platinum level, and we had three generous sponsors: Alterra Property Group, JKRP Architects, and SeeSharp. This provides a meaningful impact to the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy community. We appreciate your donation!
Additionally, a big thank you to our Gold and Silver Sponsors listed below. Your support has also had a huge impact.
Platinum Sponsors
Alterra Property Group
JKRP Architects
SeeSharp
Gold Sponsors
Cozen O’Connor
Rittenhouse Market/South Square Market
Rate | The Rob Wishnick Group
Silver Sponsors
Chick’s
H&K Hair Studio
Galit Winokur | Compass RE
Rival Brothers
Stafford Painting Contractors
Sort It Out Philly
The Law Office of Steven Zellinger
A special shoutout to our In-Kind sponsors who served us delicious food and beverages to keep us bidding and raising money: Yards, Bonnor’s Irish Pub, Moore Brothers, Mainstay Brewing, Matt Kaz Cocktails, El Fuego, NBC10, 15M Media, The Hart of Catering, The Bagel Place, Ethan’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombs, Breezy’s, Miles Table Catering, Federal Donuts, and Springfield Beverage.
We could not do this without you! It truly takes a village to support our local school, MANA.
In-School Events
Hosting events at the school is an important and great way to bring together Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy families. The following events were hosted by the HSA and supported by MANAS over the course of the 2023–24 school year.
Movie Night: a September outdoor event that was for all Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy families. With a showing of a movie, popcorn, candy and snacks, the schoolyard was a joyful place to be.
Fun Day: a May event for students during the school day with a DJ, fun and friendly competitions, face paint, balloon animals, and relay-type events.
Fall Gratitude Potluck: a November event that gathered families in the schoolyard with snacks to build community and connection.
MLK Supply Drive: a January event that brought students and families together to paint murals inside the school.
Book Fair: a spring event that was supported by volunteers. Each student was given $5 to put towards a book fair purchase.
Upper Academy Events: Volunteers and food donations supported the Upper Academy social and various other events such as Math Night, the Art Show, and Literacy Night.
Oratorical Contest: HSA and MANAS supported celebrating and participation in the district-wide Black History Month Oratorical Contest. The children performed their poems first within the school. The winning groups advanced to the district finals.
Staff Appreciation Activities and Spirit Events
Throughout the year, MANAS financially supported activities, gifts, and events that the HSA coordinated and implemented. Staff appreciation activities included snack/breakfast donations from families and holiday gifts for each staff member. School spirit events were also plentiful! They included student of the month breakfasts, PSSA gift bags with hard candy, water and motivational notes, 8th grade and Kindergarten move-up celebrations, a grant for 8th grade trips, and uniform swap coordination. Speaking of uniforms we helped fund near MANA gear with updated logo and school name.
2023-2024 Investments
Spanish Exploradores
One of our most significant programmatic expenditures is our program to teach kids Spanish — an opportunity that would not otherwise be available due to limited public funding. Spanish Exploradores is a local Philadelphia program that sends teachers into schools to nurture their abilities to learn a new language. This year Spanish classes were available to our students in grades Kindergarten through 8th.
Playworks
This year MANAS was able to fund Playworks - a program that brought coaches to the school monthly to provide staff support for productive and positive play at recess time. The program works to create positive play environments where all children feel safe to join and have fun.
Teacher Mini-Grants
Teacher mini-grants are a way for our teachers to have immediate classroom needs met by MANAS, like through classroom supplies. The grants also paid for equipment for the nurse’s office, folding tables for events like the annual math night, and ELA books throughout the year.
Capital Improvements
One of the major ways we enhance the experience for the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy community is through regular capital improvements — projects that would not happen otherwise given the way that schools are funded. We supported the maintenance of the crown jewel of Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy, the schoolyard, which is where students, parents, and community members converge after school and during the weekends. We funded Glitter to clean up the streets and sidewalks surrounding the school. The wonderful Makerspace classroom and STEM programming continued through the funding of materials, supplies, and equipment, where children explore creative thinking and problem solving while designing and creating their own ideas through computers and other technology. Additionally, we were able to continue supporting additional furniture purchases for classrooms.
Allegro Music Consultants
Allegro Music Consultants brought professional musicians to perform for — and instruct and inspire — 3rd grade students. They learned about the instruments, the nature of an ensemble, and performances. MANAS is thrilled to support this element of our musical educational programming.
Teacher Appreciation Gifts
We were able to bring back one of our favorite activities in the 2023–24 school year by showing our thanks to the teachers and staff at Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy through appreciation breakfasts and lunches throughout the year. Additionally, gift cards were provided at the beginning of the year to offset teachers’ out-of-pocket expenses for the classrooms.
2023-2024 MANAS Financials
Revenue
Corporate/Matching
$5,129
Individual Giving
$14,999
Events
$113,861
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Revenues Total
$133,989
Expenses
Administrative
$13,793
Revenue Generating Event Costs
$28,233
Capital Projects
$23,000
School Programs & Teacher Events
$33,824
Student Gear
$11,478
_____________________________
Expenses Total
$110,328
