Imagine nibbling on skewered slices of papaya, guava and mango as you bask on a warm Caribbean beach. Perhaps an excursion closer to home – to the Cincinnati Nature Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, or Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens – is your perfect cup of tea. If sports spark your interest, how about indulging your passion with a journey through the history of Cincinnati Reds at the team’s hall of fame and museum or with an autographed photo of Cincinnati Bengals running back Joseph Tyler Mixon?

These prizes and more will headline Summit Academy Community School – Cincinnati ‘s Watch Us Soar virtual auction, March 8-12. Funds raised will support the school’s K-8 students, many from families who struggle to make ends meet.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed even greater hardship on our families,” says Community Resource Coordinator Khadine Kelly, MSW, LSW. “We want to make life easier for our families, so they do not need to worry about their electricity shutting off or how they’ll pay for their children’s shoes.”

Aptly named with a nod to the school’s eagle mascot, the Watch Us Soar auction is hosted by the Summit Academy Community School – Cincinnati Parent Teachers and Students Together (PTST) organization. The group is similar to what is traditionally known as a PTA. The Summit Academy PTST will allocate the funds raised at the auction based on student/family needs.

Dozens of items will be up for auction during the five-day event. Accommodations at several all-inclusive resorts in Panama, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbados are among the treasures featured at the auction. Other items include a Mike’s Carwash package, a Xavier University prize pack, a Rhinegiest Brewery gift basket and more.

For details about all the auction items and how to place bids beginning March 8, visit Watch Us Soar .

Kelly says she hopes to see generous participation in the event, which will go a long way in serving Summit Academy Community School – Cincinnati students. Many of the school’s pupils, Kelly points out, come from low socio-economic backgrounds.

“Our hope it to help our students and families so they can focus on education without losing sleep over barriers that get in the way,” she says.

Summit Academy Community School – Cincinnati helps students with special needs achieve academically and thrive socially.  Each class is staffed by two highly skilled and compassionate teachers who meet students where they are developmentally. Summit Academy takes a therapeutic approach to education and fosters belonging and acceptance for every child.

“Children who struggle in a traditional school setting typically thrive here,” Kelly says. “They grow socially, emotionally and academically and transition to high school filled with promise, hope and newfound confidence in themselves.”

For more information about the auction, contact Khadine.Kelly@summitacademies.org or 513-321-0561.