Dollars for Darfur

Friday's Youth Salon at the Met School's Black Box Theatre was quite an event! After raising funds for Hurricane Katrina victims last April, Phase II elected to make this year's Youth Salon a benefit concert to help refugees in Darfur.

Kirby's Powerpoint presentation brought the crisis in Africa close to home and helped Community MusicWorks raise almost $250 in donations.

Padawans Sebastian Ruth and Jesse Holstein accompanied Jedi Master Christian Hernandez.

Aniela Kaczmarcyk, a University of Rhode Island student, choreographed and performed "Dances on Greensleeves" in collaboration with Ruthanne Sanchez, Tania Murillo, and Sara Stalnaker.

Zeeny Wolfe read her poem "Smells" with improvised accompaniment by the PSQ.

Laura's cello class performed Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" with a few friends.

In tribute to Mstislav Rostropovich, Heath performed two movements of solo Bach.

The event ended with Chris Turner and Rachel Maloney leading all of CMW in "Boil 'Em Cabbages Down" and "Angeline the Baker."

And I didn't get such good photos of the other performances: "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin (arr. Stalnaker/Montgomery), "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" performed by Chloe's viola students, "Music Works" performed by Minna's violin students, "The Stream Flows" by Bright Sheng performed by violinist Shaw Pong Liu, the presentation by Jessie's Music Lab students, and a performance by a member of Terrell Osborne's Music One. What a night!

-Heath Marlow, CMW staff

Comments

[Ashley Morris]

I’d like to announce to you the kick-off of the Save Darfur Coalition’s student fundraising program, Dollars for Darfur: National School Challenge! The program, now in its second year, was created when high school students came to the Save Darfur Coalition with a mission of making a difference. We partnered with them to create a fundraising challenge, where schools from across the country competed to earn the most money and educate the most people. Our goal of $200,000 was surpassed and students raised an incredible $306,000! Half the money went to the Save Darfur Coalition’s advocacy work and half went to humanitarian efforts in the region.

This year’s campaign kicks off this week with a goal of $375,000 and 2,500 participating schools. The challenge has been expanded to include middle schools and the website, www.savedarfur.org/dollarsfordarfur offers resources on getting started, fundraising ideas, an activist handbook, background notes on the conflict, and more.

Dollars for Darfur is a student program, allowing them to impact the world through their own efforts of fundraising and awareness-building. Students like those in the Youth Salon are getting involved every day. Please join us in thanking all the participants and encouraging students around the country to get active.

Feel free to contact me for any additional information or with questions or concerns.

Best regards,
Ashley Morris