A Great Night to be a Pioneer!

The 15,653 square-foot Brilliance Ballroom hosted over 550 members of the Pioneer Nation.

Eric Seiffert
Director of Marketing

The Brilliance Ballroom of the Ameristar Casino was buzzing with Pioneer Pride and excitement during the 48th Annual Pioneer Expedition Gala on Saturday, January 31, bringing in a record-setting $292,500 in tuition assistance alone, and $582,405 total.

A record crowd of over 550 guests gathered to celebrate the school’s future. “What a great atmosphere and wonderful evening!" said DHS President Paul Boschert ’77. "We are truly blessed by the outpouring of love and support from Pioneer Nation.”

Duchesne President Paul Boschert ’77 addresses the crowd before the live auction.

The growth in attendee numbers this year necessitated leadership to upgrade the event space to the new, larger Brilliance Ballroom. It was a change in plans that Advancement Director Becky Williamson was excited to make.

“[It’s] a wonderful reflection of the growing enthusiasm and support for Duchesne High School,” she said. “The evening not only honored our Pioneer spirit, but also powerfully demonstrated the continued strength and bright future of our Duchesne community.”

Duchesne Board President Jack Borgmeyer ’97 was proud to serve again this year as MC.

“What an unforgettable night," he said. "It's a powerful reminder of what’s possible when Pioneer Nation shows up. Our family was excited to be a part of it."

A major highlight was the Fund-A-Need, which raised $292,500 for tuition assistance, far surpassing the goal of $200,000, after guests viewed a video featuring current students.

“It was especially inspiring to see the generosity of our Pioneer community with the Fund-A-Need for tuition assistance,” said DHS board member Mike Deluvia ’13. “Jesus tells us time and time again to be generous. I think our Pioneer community stepped up to the plate by helping make Catholic education an option for those who couldn’t normally afford it.”

The real surprise came following the Fund-A-Need, when the lights went out a video of Duchesne’s Frank Barro Stadium flickered into view with the words, “If we build it, they will come,” whispering over low mysterious tones. With a swell of music and flashing images, the announcement of Duchesne’s vision into the future was made – a new turf field, 6-lane track, press box, digital scoreboard, turf practice field, and designated field events space behind the 310 building.

“Even though we are in the early stages of doing a feasibility study and discovery phase, the optimism from many at the gala was of great excitement," said Boschert.

Duchesne board member Mike Ryan ’77 noted that the annual gala never fails to be a memorable occasion.

“It was terrific to see attendees that included alumni of all ages, parents of DHS students and friends of Duchesne,” he said. “We, along with our friends, are already looking forward to next year.”