Events & Gala
Our Annual Gala is one of the highlights of the giving year at GISNY! This special event combines a wonderful evening of fun and community with the opportunity to support our school’s programs and initiatives.
2026 GISNY Gala
Celebrating 45 Years of Bridging Cultures
Thank you to everyone who joined us at this year’s gala on May 2 at the beautiful Glen Island Harbor Club and helped mark our school's 45th Anniversary.
Since it's founding in 1980, the German International School New York has brought together students, families, and educators from around the world through a shared commitment to excellence, curiosity, and cultural understanding. This year’s gala was a meaningful opportunity to reflect on that journey and celebrate the many connections that continue to shape GISNY today.
We raised over $120,000 for our Campus of the Future Development Fund thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our families, faculty, staff, corporate partners, and the wider community. The remarkable support shown at this year’s Gala will enable GISNY to continue enhancing and expanding our campus, creating inspiring spaces where students can learn, grow, and thrive for generations to come.
A special thanks goes to the many people that helped plan the evening and make it so special, in alphabetical order: Henriette Boehmert Leske, Corinna Cybulska, Nikki Haverkamp, Jennifer Hoffmann, Rebekka Riemann, Michaela Rueda, Marion Rumpf-Steppat, Bruni Topete-Raeder, and Ute Zimmermann.
We are also grateful to this year's gala sponsors: BMW, Lufthansa, Patrick Mata and Tatiana Reif, and Camp Waziyatah.
Some impressions from the evening
Gala for GISNY 2025: A Roaring Success
On April 5, 2025, the Woman’s Club of White Plains was transformed into a glamorous homage to the Roaring Twenties for the Gala for GISNY 2025. The event, held in support of the Campus of the Future Development Fund, welcomed parents, teachers, and friends of the GISNY community — including distinguished guests like Consul General of Germany Till Knorn, Consul General of Austria Helene Steinhäusl, and Consul Mariella DeCarvalho - to support the school’s exciting new development projects.
The venue, with its many intimate rooms and classic decor, was perfectly in tune with the evening’s 1920s theme. Highlight of the event was the formal fundraising program in the ballroom, which featured opening remarks by GISNY’s new Head of School, Volker Ovelgönne, and Board of Trustees President, Dr. Katja Simons. Hosting the evening with charm and humor was beloved teacher Anthony Krause-Zeis, whose spirited energy especially shone during the Live Auction and Paddle Raise, encouraging enthusiastic participation and generous giving.
Thanks to the outstanding support from the community — including bids in the Online Auction, which featured unique Class Art Project Mirrors crafted by our talented lower school students, exciting raffle prizes, and generous cash donations — this year’s Gala raised an incredible total of $115,000 for the Campus of the Future Development Fund.
Following the formal program, guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks, lively music and dancing, and engaging fundraising activities such as Casino Tables, a Beauty Draw and Necklace Raffle, a fun digital Photo stand, and a 360° Photobooth.
Thank you to our Donors
A heartfelt thank you to our generous main sponsors, Zwilling, BMW and Lufthansa, as well as to all donors, guests, and volunteers who helped make the evening such an unforgettable success.
The Gala for GISNY 2025 Team
Gala Co-Chairs: Corinna Cybulska, Isabelle Zemke, Henriette Leske,
Website & Auctria: Bruni Topete
Donations Support: Lisa Kost
Class Art Project: Martina Hess
GISNY Support: Saskia Osbar, Marion Rumpf-Steppat
Impressions from the 2025 Gala
Impressions from Previous Galas
Proudly Presenting our Long-Term Donors
Donor Appreciation Dinner
Save the date for our Donor Apprecation Event:
June 5, 2026
Review of our Dinner in 2025
On June 20, we celebrated our top-level donors for their unwavering support and commitment to GISNY with an elegant dinner at the uniquely charming Speak Easy Restaurant Chef Simon in New York City. The atmosphere was truly exceptional — a blend of elegance, creativity, and charm that made the evening feel both sophisticated and memorable. It was the perfect backdrop for celebrating our donors and the meaningful impact of their generosity.
Thank you!
