On May 24, 2014, the D.A.S.H. Alumni Association made history by celebrating its inaugural 20-Year Reunion at the newly remodeled Frank Gehry’s “Ice Bar Lounge” on the 7th floor of the Young Arts Foundation Building, also known as the landmarked Bacardi Building. Over 150 alumni, faculty, and friends from the first two graduating classes gathered from across the country to reconnect and commemorate their time together after a 20-year absence.
As the elevator doors opened to a glass wall foyer, everyone was greeted by a large D.A.S.H. Alumni logo and the sponsors who made the night possible. Guests found their name tags on the drafting dots on the wall, a nod to their drafting classes, before being photographed in front of the step-and-repeat wall and entering the suite. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres catered by Lovables Catering were enjoyed by all, accompanied by music from the early 90s. The room was electric as people reunited after so many years.
The Alumni Association had spent several years tracking alumni through Facebook, LinkedIn, and word of mouth, using only a hard copy of an old 1994 database to start. The Alumni Association Board, consisting of Franzella Guido, President; Christian De Gale, Vice President; Alex Batista, Secretary; and William Lai, Treasurer, held strategic planning meetings to find the perfect venue, caterer, photographers, DJ, and conduct telephone bank calls to generate attendance and spread the word about this milestone event.
The goal was to invite the original staff and faculty from 1990-1994, who nurtured and taught us through those challenging early years at D.A.S.H. The evening aimed to express gratitude and appreciation to those who gave so much during those formative years and helped us become the adults we are today. We reached out to several local businesses and the Advisory Board and are grateful for the support received from The Young Arts Foundation, which hosted us as their first guests in their new Lounge.
Other supporters included Bernard Zyscovich from Zyscovich Architects, a long-time supporter of DASH; Benjamin Moore Paints; Power and Lighting; Plaza Construction; Ocean Engineering; and My Tobacconist Smoke Shop. Behind the scenes, we appreciate the hard work of our Benefactors: Manifest, ARC Document Solutions, Howard Miller Communications, GZ Law Office of Gonzalez Zepeda, Stijlnuova, Dynamica, and Aspirations.
Not only did we cover the costs for the event, including inviting the faculty, but we also relaunched our website and added funds to the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which has been awarding scholarships to deserving DASH Seniors College bound. It was truly a magical and nostalgic night as the walls of the 360-degree projection room displayed archived newspaper clippings from the 1990s announcing the upcoming groundbreaking of the school, the construction process, and the school’s success throughout the years.
We were honored by the attendance of Nazira Abdo Decoster, the Project Manager for the School Board in charge of the construction. All three sons of Jacqueline Hinchey-Sipes, Shawn, Paul, and Glen Hinchey, were present. Betsy Kaplan, an original Board Member who voted for DASH, and Mary Hartley both spoke about knowing Jacqueline Hinchey-Sipes and her tenacity in getting the school built. D.A.S.H. is a testament to her vision and legacy.
The evening was dedicated to the memory of our founding Principal, Jacqueline Hinchey-Sipes (1934-1996). Following our Master of Ceremony, Mr. Gilham’s announcements, Franzella Guido gave special recognition to all the Sponsors and thanked them for their support. The climax of the evening came with all the lights dimming for a special 360-degree projection video presentation.
The Alumni Association gathered and transferred countless hours of original VHS tapes to digital, dating back to the first years at D.A.S.H. and the original marketing video used for recruiting. Everyone laughed and was amazed at seeing themselves on video as teenagers again. This priceless footage captured the first fashion and talent shows, Z days (which no longer exist), and the never-before-seen inaugural graduation!
The room was filled with nostalgia and the realization that what we experienced together was a special moment in time, to be the first of its kind. Everyone present could not deny the positive life experience D.A.S.H. made in our lives. We were so fortunate to have been chosen for this experiment. To be proudly called the guinea pigs, who grew up and surpassed everyone’s expectations.
No matter what part of town we came from or whether our parents could afford to send us to college, we succeeded and made it through college to become the professionals we are today because we were given the support, faith, and encouragement from our teachers and faculty. That is what makes D.A.S.H. special. The Classes of 1993 and 1994 are the pioneers of this Legacy, and the future is boundless.
-Franzella Guido, Class of 1994, President, Co-founder, D.A.S.H. Alumni Association
