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Annual Gala

What to Expect:

Scholarship award presentations
Community recognition awards
Formal dinner and program
Sponsorship opportunities
Networking with civic and business leaders

Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala

An evening of celebration, recognition, and purpose.

The Annual Scholarship & Awards Gala is one of the Chessmen Club’s most anticipated events of the year. This formal evening brings together scholars, families, sponsors, and community leaders to celebrate student achievement and honor individuals who exemplify leadership and service.

During the Gala, scholarship recipients are formally recognized for their accomplishments and future aspirations. The event also highlights community award honorees whose work aligns with the Club’s mission of education, empowerment, and advancement.

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Sponsors

Community Service

Honorees

Schenita Stewart
Schenita Stewart began her law enforcement career in 1998 as a probation officer with the Cook County Adult Probation Department. A lifelong Evanstonian and proud graduate of Evanston Township High School, she joined the Lincolnwood Police Department in 1999, where she advanced through the ranks and was appointed deputy chief in 2018. In January 2021, Stewart became deputy chief of police for the Village of East Dundee, and in 2022 she was named Chief of Police for the Evanston Police Department. From 2008 to 2018, Stewart served with the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF), including four years as a team leader. She currently serves as Vice President of NORTAF and is a board member of the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS). She is also an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee. Deeply committed to her community, Stewart supports Shorefront Legacy and honors the multigenerational legacy of service her family has contributed to Evanston. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and Executive Management Program.
Schonella Stewart
Schenita Stewart began her law enforcement career in 1998 as a probation officer with the Cook County Adult Probation Department. A lifelong Evanstonian and proud graduate of Evanston Township High School, she joined the Lincolnwood Police Department in 1999, where she advanced through the ranks and was appointed deputy chief in 2018. In January 2021, Stewart became deputy chief of police for the Village of East Dundee, and in 2022 she was named Chief of Police for the Evanston Police Department. From 2008 to 2018, Stewart served with the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF), including four years as a team leader. She currently serves as Vice President of NORTAF and is a board member of the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS). She is also an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee. Deeply committed to her community, Stewart supports Shorefront Legacy and honors the multigenerational legacy of service her family has contributed to Evanston. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and Executive Management Program.
Wanda J. Reed
Schenita Stewart began her law enforcement career in 1998 as a probation officer with the Cook County Adult Probation Department. A lifelong Evanstonian and proud graduate of Evanston Township High School, she joined the Lincolnwood Police Department in 1999, where she advanced through the ranks and was appointed deputy chief in 2018. In January 2021, Stewart became deputy chief of police for the Village of East Dundee, and in 2022 she was named Chief of Police for the Evanston Police Department. From 2008 to 2018, Stewart served with the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF), including four years as a team leader. She currently serves as Vice President of NORTAF and is a board member of the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS). She is also an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee. Deeply committed to her community, Stewart supports Shorefront Legacy and honors the multigenerational legacy of service her family has contributed to Evanston. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and Executive Management Program.
Student Honoree
Tinsae Geyer
Schenita Stewart began her law enforcement career in 1998 as a probation officer with the Cook County Adult Probation Department. A lifelong Evanstonian and proud graduate of Evanston Township High School, she joined the Lincolnwood Police Department in 1999, where she advanced through the ranks and was appointed deputy chief in 2018. In January 2021, Stewart became deputy chief of police for the Village of East Dundee, and in 2022 she was named Chief of Police for the Evanston Police Department. From 2008 to 2018, Stewart served with the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF), including four years as a team leader. She currently serves as Vice President of NORTAF and is a board member of the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS). She is also an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, where she serves on the Rethinking Responses to Common Calls for Service Committee. Deeply committed to her community, Stewart supports Shorefront Legacy and honors the multigenerational legacy of service her family has contributed to Evanston. She holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Chicago State University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University, and is a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command and Executive Management Program.

Proceeds from the Gala directly support:

Scholarship funding for graduating students
Social initiatives focused on health, hunger, and literacy
Community outreach programs
Long-term sustainability through designated funds