Women of Tomorrow's Annual Gala was the perfect venue for the organization's President and Founder Jennifer Valoppi to announce tremendous research findings which show high school students in Women of Tomorrow improve their grades every year they are in the program. Additionally, students in Miami-Dade County have a less than 60 percent chance of graduating from high school – but students in Women of Tomorrow have a 90 percent chance of graduating from high school.

In what Gala Chair Marisa Toccin says is their most successful fundraising event to date, the Women of Tomorrow's 7TH Annual Gala held at the Mandarin Oriental helped push total fundraising efforts over the $2.4 million mark for the organization considered by many to be one of the nation's most unique mentoring and scholarship programs for at-risk young women.

"We are thrilled that this year's gala went beyond our expectations," said Toccin, chairperson of the annual gala. "Thanks to the constant dedication of our benefactors, sponsors, volunteers and supporters, we continually broaden our program's success stories among South Florida's young women in need."

The Cleopatra-themed event honored Betty Amos as Mentor of the Year for her unique mentoring approach and years of outstanding service to the organization. Others honored during the gala for outstanding commitment included Honorary Chairmen Madeleine and Mickey Arison and Swanee and Paul DiMare, Excellence Honoree Jonathan Green, Legacy Builder Honorees Jon and Nancy Batchelor & The Batchelor Foundation and Empowerment Award Honoree Malou Perricone.

Also during the gala, a donated original portrait by Artist Romero Britto valued at $48,000 was auctioned and the portrait has the possibility of inclusion in Britto's exclusive 2008 Women of Excellence Portrait Series. The lucky bidder, Fred Drasner, bought it for his wife Lora.

Women of Tomorrow was founded by television journalist Jennifer Valoppi and Telemundo Network President Don Browne in 1997. The organization currently mentors close to 1,700 at-risk young women in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach public high schools, and each year provides scholarships to help enhance and enrich their lives through education. The program's mentors include more than 200 of South Florida's most accomplished professional women. For more information on Women of Tomorrow call 305-371-3330, or visit www.womenoftomorrow.org.