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.

The Ross School, founded by education innovator Courtney Sale Ross, hosted its annual “Social@Ross,” with a percentage of the proceeds going to scholarships for lower-income students. The Ross School, located in the Hamptons in New York, is an exclusive school known for its eclectic curriculum and advanced educational methodologies. Tuition to the school is quite high, but Courtney Sale Ross has set aside a large percentage of admissions for students whose families could not afford the school.

This year’s Social@Ross had a musical lineup to die for. Headliners included Piano Man Billy Joel, funky soul-master Prince, college favorite The Dave Matthews Band, folk legend James Taylor, and classic rockers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The series of five concerts went for a whopping $15,000 for all five shows, or $3,000 a show. The 1,500 tickets for each show were completely sold out.

Admission included superb seating, gourmet meals prepared by top chefs, and an intimate atmosphere where concertgoers could mingle with the music stars and celebrities. The evening was sponsored by Cierge, the high-profile executive social networking group.

The evening redefined elegance and sophistication. On the menu were truffle tarlets, flowing champagne, the finest liquor, sushi, salmon, Asian salads, and more traditional fare such as Pop Burgers and hot dogs. Guests even received martini glasses filled with gourmet jelly beans

On hand was school founder Courtney Sale Ross and a long list of A-list celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Bon Jovi, Londell McMillan, Lizzie Grubman, Christie Brinkley, and L.A. Reid were just a few of the big names who showed up at the concerts. Also attending were Edie Falco, Aidia Turturro, Jay-Z, Ron Burkle, Steve Bing, and Marci Klein. Mo Osten was spotted sitting and chatting with Courtney Sale Ross.

On site, concert-goers enjoyed perfect seating in sling back beach chairs, without a bad seat in the house. Tables were covered with black linen and decorated with candles and purple flowers and pillows. But all this luxury was set up for a great cause: ensuring that some of the country’s best and brightest students got a shot at attending the Ross School. For Courtney Sale Ross, it’s not money that should determine your educational goals, but only imagination and discipline.

Last August 9, 2008, the Ross School kicked off its Ross School Summer Series ’08 with a benefit concert from the teenage rock sensation, The Jonas Brothers.

The popular trio is composed of three brothers Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. The siblings hailing from New Jersey performed at the Ross School Center for Well-Being Great Hall in East Hampton, New York. The concert did not come cheap. In fact, it was considered as the most expensive of all the events at Ross, as tickets for the event were sold at $1,500. All profit from the Jonas Brothers concert went to the scholarship fund for the private institution that now caters to pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Forty percent of their students rely on scholarship funds to shoulder their tuition.

In addition to the teen concert which started at noon, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group carried out a lunch cookout providing food services and refreshments to help Ross School’s programs and scholarships.

The midday concert was only a part of the series of events featuring performances from different artists organized by the school with their aim to route full net proceeds to specific Ross departments such as the Ross School Café, the Ross theater department, their wellness program, and their scholarship program. Other highlights of the series include the school’s theater featuring Tony winners Cady Huffman, John Lloyd Young, and Michael Cavanaugh, and multi-Tony nominees Daphne Rubin-Vega and Kelli O’Hara; author and founder of The Peace Alliance, Marianne Williamson; performances from the soul singing legend Aretha Franklin; and an evening of wine and cuisine catered by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group.

Amidst their immense worldwide popularity, The Jonas Brothers have never failed to forget doing philanthropy works. Aside from the said benefit concert, the siblings have donated 10% of their $12 million income to the Change for the Children Foundation in 2007. The foundation was created by the Jonas Brothers to encourage children all over the world to participate in charitable organizations. The foundation also provides financial assistance to various charities such as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Nothing But Nets, and the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Camp.

Other events for the Ross School include the Starlight Ball

Information about Ross Global Academy. Ross Global Academy in an inner city charter school built under the same world culture and globalization principles that guides the Ross School. Ross Global Academy is located in New York City. Both the Ross School and Ross Global Academy are sponsored by Courtney Sale Ross. Courtney Ross is the window of media mogul Stephen Ross. Courtney Sale Ross also funds the Ross Institute.