Every year, many families show up to Friends Select’s auction to support the school, and possibly with hopes of winning a unique experience within the city or a coveted treat. But what exactly is the auction and how does participation benefit the FSS community?

The annual auction serves many purposes in the community, namely as a fundraiser to help support the many costs of operating and advancing the school. The money raised covers “basically everything, from teacher salaries to the electric bill,” explains Molly Mullahy P’33, Director of FSS Fund and Constituent Engagement. “Sports uniforms, musical instruments, Promethean boards, stage sets, sports referees, field trips–that is all operating dollars.” In 2024, the community raised about $108,000 for FSS, which met this year’s goal. 

This year, the auction offered 288 unique packages, “which is about the maximum of packages we can manage,” says Molly. The most popular item? Cafeteria Orange Chicken Take Out Dinner For 6, closely followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of WXPN led by DJ Jim McGuinn. However, in Molly’s opinion, “the experience items are the coolest, especially those offered by parents in the FSS community. Where do you “get invited” to go to the docks and check out Philly’s wholesale fish market? Or have the opportunity to flip a steak at Pat’s King of Steaks? So cool.”

In total, in 2024’s auction there were 300 donors and 269 people who logged on to bid–though, as the auction committee notes, they would like to see a lot more bidders in the future.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the auction has remained an online-only event. The reason for this change was for financial and logistical reasons, as the planning and cost of the in-person event could exceed $30,000. “We found that an online auction netted as much funds for the school as an in-person auction with less staff time,” explains Molly, “so our fundraising goals [can be] met without the party.”

In the past, the auction not only supported the school financially but also brought the community together through the social aspect of the event. The FSS Administration team wanted to make the event accessible to all members of the community, made possible by the shift to an online auction. Since many families expressed that they missed the community aspect of the social event, the auction committee responded by hosting this year’s inaugural Welcome Back Party. This way, the committee hopes to have the best of both worlds: a fundraiser that can help the school thrive as well as a social gathering that brings the community together.