Lady Gaga’s cosmetic brand, Haus Labs, partnered with the student leaders to sponsor The Haus Lab x Pali Gala for Pali High students and staff which took place on Friday, April 25 at the UCLA Wilson Plaza. Admission was free for all students, with the option to bring a plus one from any other school.
The event was organized by Associated Student Body (ASB) members Alessandra Santini and Baran Nasiri.
Santini expressed her gratitude for the tremendous amount of support that the Haus Labs team provided in order to ensure the success of the gala.
“[Haus Labs] was super eager to host the gala after the fires broke out,” she said. “The gala aims to celebrate the resilience and optimism of the students.”
According to Santini, Haus Labs covered the cost of the entire event while allowing ASB free range to orchestrate the theme and activities.
“We decided that the theme [would] be ‘A Night in Vegas’ with the consensus of the ASB class,” Santini said. “We’ve been working alongside the Haus Labs event management team to plan activities like poker and Blackjack.”
Nasiri explained how ASB decided on the theme for the night in hopes of sparking the interest of all students.
“We planned on having multiple poker tables and card games to engage everyone from every aspect of school,” Nasiri added. “It’s not just a dance. It’s more of a unique experience for everyone.”
Nasiri and her team ensured that the gala took place at an appropriate location.
“We worked hard to obtain a location accessible to all students, especially after many had to relocate from the Palisades,” she said. “We also needed it to be suitable for a large number of students.”
Poppi, a probiotic soda company, also agreed to sponsor the event after Haus Labs reached out to them.
“There [was] a Poppi stand there which is super exciting,” Santini explained. “It’s been so much fun to work with them and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
As the event approached, Santini and her team worked increasingly hard to encourage as many students as possible to attend.
“We’re trying our best to get as many sign ups as possible,” Santini said. “Obviously, the circumstances have changed a lot since Homecoming [in October]. Some people have left the school and some people can’t attend the event, so we’re doing all that we can.”
Approximately 750 students registered for the gala.
As these students adjust to the new environment of the Sears building, Nasiri hoped that the gala would offer a chance to reconnect with their peers and rebuild the strong sense of community that defines Pali.
“We haven’t been in person for the past few months, so we haven’t been able to connect with each other, or see our teachers or other faculty members,” she said. “[The gala] is such an amazing occasion to reunite and bond with everyone again.”
The generosity of major brands, such as Haus Labs and Poppi, further symbolizes a sense of hope and resilience as Pali students begin a new chapter.
“Besides Prom, we’ve never had anyone plan one of our school events before,” Santini explained. “Haus Labs is a well known cosmetic brand, and they have put millions of dollars into their fundraising and campaigning, which makes this an even more beautiful opportunity.”
As the gala approached, Santini expressed hope for the future of Pali High and the recovery of the Palisades community.
“[The gala] is definitely an event that will help bring our school back together and celebrate a new beginning as we transition into the Sears building,” Santini said.
