This year’s 11th grade capstone project proved that it takes every hand working together to bring a massive vision to life as students planned and executed a city-wide charity event: FATE Draft Day Presented by Detroit Lions Quarterback, Jared Goff. Designed to mirror the energy of an NFL/NBA Draft, Draft Day is a live, in-person celebration recognizing graduating FATE seniors as “draft picks” into their future as they take their next steps toward college, careers, the military, or skilled trades. Held at Merit Park, the event offered guests an exciting sneak peek of our new facility.
“Teamwork makes the dream work. Everyone has to know their assignment and actively offer help so one person isn't doing everything.” - FATE 11th grader
Throughout the capstone project, 11th graders applied their talents across several real-world initiatives. The first was competing in a design challenge to create our very first official FATE varsity jacket! The winning designs came from Makalani & Armontia - combining their two incredible designs into a stunning jacket all graduating seniors received as they crossed the stage at Draft Day!
Other capstone initiatives included producing an introduction video to kick off the event and taking ownership of essential event committees such as:
Team Members: Jaidyn, Jaden, Jason & Cenceir
About: Learned the art of pitching corporate partners to secure event sponsorships.
Team Members: Ariyale, Makalani, and Isaiah
About: Reached out to local businesses to secure items for the silent auction.
Team Members: Carter, DeAngelo, Jai-lynn
About: Crafted outreach strategies to invite high-profile guests and community figures to attend.
Team Members: Jadah, Jordynn, Navia, and Armontia
About: Researched, ideated, and landed on high-energy activations for the night - including live drummers to welcome guests on arrival, a custom Patch-It Station with hats and patches, and a dedicated refresher station.
From the moment guests arrived on the red carpet and stepped up to the Glambot, the atmosphere was electric. Hosted live from the CURE Auto Insurance broadcast desk by WDIV’s Kim DeGiulio and Jamiersen Green alongside stage correspondents Brad Galli and Rashmi Hurst, the evening was a true high-profile celebration of our youth.
An unforgettable highlight came when Jared Goff personally placed a custom varsity jacket on every graduating senior as they were called up - a powerful gesture honoring their journey. Thanks to the collective effort of our students, partners, and community, we are thrilled to have raised $140,000 to support Merit and the FATE program! A special thank you to Jared Goff, our donors, guests, and sponsors for being true MVPs in scoring this major win together.
“What excites me most about this project is knowing that next year’s group will do it for us!” - D’Andre, Class of 2027
What the full recap: