On Saturday, November 9, the Washington Township Schools community gathered for a Clue-inspired night of mystery, intrigue… and a whole lot of fun.

An interactive game of clue

While at BASH, guests donning Clue costumes (can you spot our new Superintendent Dr. Taylor?) were invited to solve a mystery of their own. A mysterious benefactor had approached the Washington Township Schools Foundation with a puzzling pledge. An anonymous donor for years, he declared his intention to come out of the shadows and support a specific funded program. Guests had to determine the who, what and where of the program by searching for clues and eliminating the benefactor’s previous contributions. In the end, it was Bucket Beats, a performing arts program in Frontier Hall! Clearwater parent Natalie Troyer solved the puzzle and was awarded a Nintendo Switch, courtesy of Vincennes University Aviation Technology Center!

Detective Al Catchem & Suspect Sketches

Every guest was a suspect in the eyes of Detective Al Catchem and our sketch artists. Detective Catchem, expertly played by actor Mark Cashwell, put guests to the test with his lie detector machine. Those who passed were given an extra clue to solve the night’s game. Those who didn’t were sent away empty-handed!

Sketch artists were also on site to capture the suspects in ink. Artists Greg Tinsley and Chad Engle created mini masterpiece portraits for guests to keep.

Loot Grab, Jewel Heist & Cash Raffle

Mystery was the theme of the evening, and that extended to our cadre of prizes and giveaways! In the Loot Grab, guests drew pouches from a treasure chest. Inside each pouch was either a gift card or a pass to participate in the Jewel Heist.

The ten lucky recipients of the Jewel Heist passes were invited to pull from a collection of gemstones generously provided by Midwest Jewelers. The big win — a 1.5-karat diamond — was won by Crooked Creek kindergarten teacher Monica Hammonds!

The wins continued with the $500 cash raffle. Many tickets were purchased, but there could only be one winner… and that was Spring Mill parent David Hudson! Just moments after winning the cash, David handed it right back, donating all $500 back to the students and staff of Washington Township Schools. Thank you, David!

Amazing Alumni Vendors

North Central alumni showed up in a big way at BASH ’24! Several of our vendors were alums, including emcee Austin Hookfin of Red Squad Entertainment and caterer Whitney Amelia of CIBO.

Live music was provided by NCHS alumni band The JBJ Collective, made up of vocalist Jackie Gundaker, bassist JaShaun Johnson, guitarist Kamarien Edwards, guitarist Nick Robinson and drummer Andrew Weinert.

Honoring the Elevating Education Champions

Prior to BASH, seven amazing champions stepped up to help jumpstart our biggest fundraiser of the year. Together, they raised more than $20,000 before the doors of The Platform even opened! During BASH, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to honor and thank these seven incredible individuals: Laura Hakim, Jenny Kremer, Carla Schmid, Greg Stowers, Beth Yakey, Lindsay Yaggi and top fundraiser Molly Lee (Henry). Thank you for all you’ve done for Washington Township Schools!

Silent Auction

One of the perennial highlights of BASH, this year’s silent auction was no exception! With a diverse collection of unique items and experiences, the night saw bidding wars and big winners. Some of the most popular items of the evening included a once-in-a-lifetime Indy 500 experience, a signed Caitlin Clark basketball, an Alaskan vacation, gift baskets of local goodies and more. A huge thank you to everyone who provided items for the auction – you can see a full list of our generous donors below!