Dinner and Diamonds

Ask almost any resident in the city why he or she choses to call Vestavia Hills home, and chances are, quality of schools will factor into the answer.

Mother of three Ashley Thompson, also executive director of the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation, has seen the system’s academic reputation come full circle. She and her husband, Robert, recently completed a round of college campus visits with their oldest, Vestavia Hills High School senior Griffin.

“He was so prepared for his ACTs, and he’s well prepared for college,” she said. “Looking at colleges, they would brag about having whiteboards in their classrooms, and he would say, ‘We have them in our high school.’ The schools he’s applied to respect the Vestavia school system and you can tell.”

To help other Vestavia students reach their academic potential, Thompson and fellow Foundation members focus on strengthening the performance of the organization’s endowment, through which grants are awarded annually to give Vestavia Hills City Schools the competitive edge students deserve and parents expect.

“I am huge believer in the Foundation and what it has done for our schools and students,” Thompson said. “It’s given the students a lot of opportunities other kids in the state don’t have.”

Thompson added that grant recipients are using the funds to teach in different, impactful ways. 

“They are not just book smart,” she said. “They are learning how to think outside just how to open a book, read and answer the questions. They are learning to be better students and better thinkers.”

Established in 1996 in response to proration budget cuts, the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation awarded its first grant in 1999. This month, additional grants will be awarded, driving the total grants distributed to just over $700,000. Grants are typically awarded in three primary areas: technology, classroom enhancements and professional development. 

This month, the Foundation will host a major fundraiser, the eighth annual Dinner and Diamonds event. The event has grown considerably from its humble beginnings, when a small crowd with a big vision gathered at Vestavia Country Club. Thanks to the persistence of Lisa Lovell, it has grown year over year, with this month’s Dinner and Diamonds program expected to draw a crowd of more than 500 and to generate $60,000 in funds.

Proceeds first go toward the Foundation’s operating budget, with any excess placed into the Foundation’s endowment, with a current book value of just over $2 million. Auctioneer Gene Hallman of the Bruno’s Events Team will entertain guests along with The Undergrounders, who are on tap to provide the evening’s musical entertainment.

And true to its name, the evening will include plenty of diamond bling, courtesy of Paul Petro from Paul’s Diamond Center. 

“Paul lets us come shopping each year and pick out the jewelry we will auction off at the event,” Thompson said. “He’s really been the man behind the plan. He’s been a huge supporter and makes it so much fun because he gives everybody personal customer service at the event, trying on diamonds and enjoying the glitz and glamour of the evening.” 

The eighth annual Dinner and Diamonds Event is Saturday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m. at Ted’s Garage. For more information about the event, and to order tickets ($75 each), visit dinneranddiamonds.org