The Net
Gala.
Join us Thursday, June 4th, 2026, for the Net Gala — an evening celebrating the students, clients, and communities behind NewComm's $10K design studios. This year's theme, Blueprint to Legacy, honors what happens when young people aren't just invited to the table — they're handed the budget and trusted to build. Come see what they built.
The Net Gala is NewComm’s signature annual fundraising event, created to bridge learning and opportunity by connecting high-performing high school students with leaders and decision-makers across industries.
Designed by NewComm's inaugural cohort of Fellows, the Net Gala celebrates youth-led projects that strengthen communities across New York City, transforming ideas into action and potential into legacy.
Event Details
Thursday, June 4th, 2026
Above the Heights, 500 West 181st Street NY, NY
6:00PM VIP Cocktail Hour
7:10PM Dinner & Program
9:00PM Closing Reception
Black Tie Optional
Meet Our Honoree
NewComm Pillar Award
Alex Ehrlich
Alex Ehrlich is the CEO of Percapita Group, Inc., a national financial technology company founded to address the inability of traditional banks to well serve people who live paycheck to paycheck. Through clear guidance and low-cost services, Percapita works to reduce financial stress for individuals and communities, and to rebuild trust in financial systems. Percapita's work is rooted in the belief that modern banking should be a basic and affordable human right.
Alex proudly serves as a Trustee of iMentor, The University of Mount Saint Vincent, and Wall Street Bound, and is a member of the alumni communities of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. For those who aren’t familiar with Wall Street, this is something like being both a Yankees and Red Sox fan.
Alex and his wife Cheryl met on a blind date in London in 1987, and have been together ever since. They produced three little people who are now big people; all of whom are making the world a better place.
CEO of Percapita
Dr. Thomas M. Kelly Legacy Award
When Dr. Thomas M. Kelly, Head of School at Horace Mann School, approved the partnership that made NewComm possible, he called it "a gift to the Bronx." This award is NewComm's gift back — a $1,000 book scholarship presented annually at Net Gala to a graduating senior who carries his spirit forward.
Dr. Kelly didn't wait to be convinced. He acted. He took a risk on students who didn't yet have a seat at the table. He showed up — consistently, generously, and without condition. He cared, not for optics, but because he believed in people.
The Dr. Thomas M. Kelly Legacy Award recognizes the graduating senior who embodies those same qualities: a student who moved without waiting for permission, who stepped into the unknown in service of something bigger than themselves, whose face is known because they kept showing up, who gave before anyone asked, and whose love for their community isn't performed — it's felt.
Dr. Thomas Kelly
Dr. Thomas M. Kelly has served as Head of School at Horace Mann School in the Bronx for nearly two decades — and from the beginning, he has insisted that a great school must be in honest relationship with its city. A Columbia University Ph.D. who came to independent school leadership through public education, Dr. Kelly changed Horace Mann's official mailing address from "Riverdale" to "The Bronx," co-founded the Center for Community Values & Action, and shifted the school's ethos from community service to service learning — the belief that students grow most when their education has real stakes.
Head of School, Horace Mann School
Bianca Estrada
Bianca was a member of NewComm’s inaugural cohort and graduated from the Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics in June 2024. That same year, she enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Paralegal Specialist. She currently serves on NewComm’s staff as Lead Peer Mentor and is pursuing her studies at Manhattan University.
Lead Peer Mentor, NewComm
Get Involved
Choose the sponsorship level that works best for you or your organization, and get involved by becoming a sponsor of the Net Gala 2026
Blue
$12,500
“Presented By”
✓ Event title integration (The Net Gala presented by...)
✓ Premier logo placement across all event materials
✓ Podium recognition and opportunity to present an award
✓ Full-page feature in event program
✓ 8 complimentary tickets
Gold
$5,000
Major Supporting Sponsor
✓Prominent logo placement across all event materials
✓ Stage recognition during the Gala
✓ Half-page ad in event program
✓ Social media mentions
✓ 4 complimentary tickets
Silver
$2,500
Community Sponsor
✓Logo placement on event signage and marketing materials
✓ Quarter-page ad in event program
✓ Recognition on Gala website
✓ 2 complimentary tickets
Bronze
$1,000
Supporting Sponsor
✓Logo placement on event signage
✓ Name listed in event program
✓ Shout-out on social media
✓ 1 complimentary tickets
Individual tickets will go on sale early March.
Select Your Sponsorship Level
FAQ
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The Net Gala will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2026 from 5:30pm-9:00pm.
The event host is NewComm, a community design studio that employs, empowers, and rigorously prepares high school students to build social ventures that address local challenges. -
The location is at Above the Heights, an event space located in Washington Heights. The address is 500 West 181st Street NY, NY.
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Under the theme “Blueprint to Legacy,” the Net Gala is NewComm’s signature fundraising event, uniting industry leaders in support of youth-led change. Proceeds from the evening directly fuel NewComm’s work of empowering students to design and implement projects that strengthen their communities.
By pairing high-impact networking andhands-on engagement with intentional investment, the Gala reflects the belief that when young people are given access, resources, and trust, they can help design and build a more equitable future.
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Black tie optional. Guests are welcome to wear formal evening attire or cocktail attire.
Questions?
For more information, reach out to netgala@newcommproject.org