Air Force One at the Reagan Library served as a backdrop for more than 800 guests attending the Oaks Christian School annual fundraising gala April 6 in Simi Valley.
Special guests were former president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush. The Bushes occupied the White House from 2001 to 2009.
The 17th annual Gala Dinner Auction for the Westlake Village school raised a record $1.5 million in donations.
The Bushes were greeted with a standing ovation as they entered the main dining room inside the Air Force One Pavilion.
Sharing the presidential table were Oaks Christian School founders David Price and Dallas Price-Van Breda and their spouses, Helen Price and Bob Van Breda.
The evening’s festivities began with a silent auction on the mezzanine floor. Guests were able to bid on jewelry, sports items and memorabilia, vacation experiences and other items.
OC Voices, the school’s new a cappella group directed by OCS choir director Edward Rouse, sang “I Want You Back” and “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
They sang “The Star Spangled Banner” on stage directly in front of the Bushes while OCS alumni U.S. Marine Cpl. Aidan Kelly (Class of 2014) and U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Liam Kelly (Class of 2017) stood at attention. All three songs were arranged by Rob Dietz, cofounder of A Cappella Academy.
Head of School Rob Black presented a special welcome for the Bushes and assembled guests.
He took a few minutes to highlight some of the new initiatives at Oaks Christian: the IDEA Lab, the residential boarding program, and the art and innovation, engineering and global leadership institutes.
Premiering at the event was the “Mark this Moment” video, which follows the paths of three students and tells the story of how Oaks Christian enabled them to achieve.
OCS board of trustees member Shelene Bryan and gala auctioneer Jim Nye double-teamed, asking guests to help support students by donating directly to financial aid.
Performer and OCS parent Paul Anka was back this year with a version of the classic song “My Way” retooled for an Oaks Christian audience. He crooned about high school Principal Karen Coyle, the recent nationwide college admissions scandal and student life at Oaks Christian.
The Bushes then took the stage for an interview with Rob Riggle, OCS parent, actor and a retired U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer.
In a wide-ranging conversation, the president and first lady shared recollections of life at the White House and the challenges of leadership. They also spoke about their current work and initiatives at the Bush Center.
Afterward was the live auction. Nye kept things moving as guests bid on items such as an Ariana Grande VIP Tour experience, a behind-the-scenes Grammy package, a Scotland golf extravaganza and an NBA all-star weekend.
The show stealer was Barrett, an 8-week-old goldendoodle puppy, which brought the highest bid of the evening: $11,000. Barrett is now a part of the Anka family.
—Acorn staff report