SAAS in the City 2026 Makes History, Raising $5.5+M to Support a New Era

 

The SAAS community made history last Saturday night. 

Over 1,100 people—current and incoming SAAS parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, faculty and staff, and beyond—packed the Seattle Convention Center at SAAS in the City 2026. Under a canopy of ember lights, they celebrated the evening’s 200+ student performers, seven inspiring alumni speakers, and everything that makes SAAS, SAAS. 

This year, SAAS in the City guests raised a record-setting $5,500,000+ for All In for Build Bold. This collective effort to complete the vision for one campus united on one block lets SAAS unlock new opportunities for students. Saturday’s success expands access, innovation, and transformative learning experiences. 

As SAAS Board of Trustees Co-Chair Martinique Grigg said on stage last weekend: “Your generosity has brought us to this moment. So thank you.” 

It’s not too late to support SAAS through All in For Bold Bold—or to check out the night’s highlights below. 

Students Take Center Stage

Student performances have long been central to SAAS in the City. This year’s 10-act lineup exemplified the type of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, professionalism, and self-expression that permeate the arts at SAAS. 

Ben Harper, the 3x GRAMMY Award-winning musical artist who headlined the after-party, also shared the stage with students. He joined Upper School Strings musicians for a poignant rendition of his song, “Power of the Gospel.” Later on, he belted out “My Own Two Hands” alongside about 100 of SAAS alumni and student vocalists, filling the room with a sense of collective power and joy. 

Intermediate Music Production performed an original song, “Lives and Breathes.” The track was written and produced in the Music Production studio in our new Upper School building and was recently released on Spotify—an example of how SAAS kids share their voices and creations beyond campus. 

Students also lit up the event’s two main stages with band, dance, jazz band, jazz choir, and strings performances. Some of their numbers, like the hip hop dance choreography “Harajuku Vibes,” spanned divisions, with Middle and Upper Schoolers working together. 

 

Alumni in Action

No one knows the transformational power of a SAAS education quite like alumni. At SAAS in the City, graduates ranging from the Class of 1984 to the Class of 2018, and from world-class musicians to a lawyer and a fashion entrepreneur, shared how SAAS shaped their journeys. 

One speech traced the school’s growth, from scrappy origins to the expansive, purpose-built campus supported by All In for Build Bold today. 

“The scale has changed. The buildings have changed. The technology has changed,” said Wendy Sutter ’84, a member of SAAS’s inaugural class. “But the courage has not. When I walk through Seattle Academy today and see science labs, engineering studios, entrepreneurship programs, digital innovation, I don’t just see growth. I see the continuation of a mindset that says: Disruption is not an obstacle. It is an invitation.” 

Wendy’s remarks were among those delivered by seven incredible alumni:  

• Makenzie Brandon ’09, Business Strategist and Management Consultant; Director at BTS
• Alex Donald ’14, Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur
• Brook Geleta ’18, MD Candidate at the University of Washington School of Medicine
• Alexa Jarvis ’08, Professional Opera Singer; End-of-Life Midwife
• Caldwell Rohrbach ’08, SAAS Innovations Teacher
• Sheri Shnider ’08, Lawyer; Advocate; Chief Operating Officer of Centralized Services for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services
• Wendy Sutter ’84, World-Renowned Cellist; Entrepreneur

Thank You!

SAAS alumni—alongside student performers, SAAS in the City Co-Chairs (Derek Crain, Katrina Frank, and Austen Holman ‘04 ), parent volunteers, faculty and staff, and each of our 1,100+ guests—made SAAS in the City 2026 one for the history books. And we couldn’t have pulled it off without this year’s generous sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Mindful Therapy Group; Platinum Sponsor BNBuilders; Gold Sponsors Board & Vellum, Seneca Group, Linehan Institute, and Valley Electric; and Silver Sponsors A&A Limousine & Bus Service, Olson Kundig, and Sound Impact Law. 

Students will feel the impact of this record-breaking night through access, innovations, and a unified campus for years to come.