Parties You Will Never Get Into

Honoree Martha Stewart with SNL comedian Seth Meyers. Photos by Douglas Harrington

Courtney Sale Ross, founder of the innovative Ross School, hosted a charity ball in East Hampton to benefit the school. Celebrities were everywhere to enjoy the 2009 Starlight Ball, an evening of music, comedy, and haute cuisine to raise money for the Steven J. Ross Scholarship fund. The scholarship, named for the media mogul and late husband of Courtney Sale Ross, allows 25% of the students attending the Ross School to receive sorely needed financial aid.

This year, the 2009 Starlight Ball Honoree was none other than Martha Stewart, the domestic superstar and author who has served as an inspiration for Courtney Sale Ross. “Martha’s accomplishments have been an inspiration to so many of us. She leads people through a process of creative discovery that is keenly characteristic of her work as an educator,” said Courtney Sale Ross. “She has been a dear friend and an on-going supporter of our school for many years and we are thrilled to pay her tribute.”

Stars that entertained the crowd included Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live, music stars James Ingram and Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. Two years ago, Brinkley launched a scholarship of her own to support deserving students who wish to attend the Ross School. “Right now, with today’s economy, the scholarship fund is more important than ever. The Ross School has always had a great, very diverse group of students, despite its reputation of being a rich kid’s school, it is not. It is really, really important that we come out to support the school,” Christie Brinkley said.

The night’s events were MC’d by Generation X writer Jay McInerney and his wife Anne Hearst McInerney, who is a Ross student parent. The stars of the upcoming film “Trophy Kids”, including Tania Raymonde, Ryan Egghold, Tahyna Tozzi, David Gallagher, and Nathan Lee Graham were on hand as well.

Ross School’s Sixth Annual “Live at Club Starlight” is dedicated to raising funds for the School’s programs and for the Steven J. Ross Scholarship Fund, which has been in place since the School’s founding in 1991. Created by Courtney and Steven J. Ross, the Steven J. Ross Scholarship fund ensures that deserving children have the opportunity to receive an outstanding, world-class education at the Ross School. Every year, the Starlight Ball celebrates its students with special celebrity performances, student ambassadors, and live and silent auction items donated by committed parents, trustees, friends, and local and national organizations.