High School Nation descended on Kentwood High School last week.
Along with exposing students to different media and art technologies, the organization, sponsored by several major American corporations, donated $10,000 in the form of equipment and gift cards to the stores.
“They just picked us, I don’t know why,” said Jo Anne Daughtry, Kentwood athletics and events coordinator.
“With the cuts that are being made to arts and music programs across the country, this is an attempt to revitalize that,” Daughtry said. “We wanted to expose more than those kids who are already exposed (to the arts and music). We wanted to show other kids there’s other things you can do out there that are related to the arts and music.”
While the Sept. 25 event was planned to take place on the Kentwood football field, weather forced everyone into the gym. Daughtry said that she hoped the community would be able to see the two-hour event from their cars as they drove past.
“We try to foster that community feel,” said Daughtry, noting that people from the community still wouldn’t have been allowed in to see what was going on.
High School Nation set up roughly 10 vendor and information tents and a stage for several bands that played that day, including country music singer Dakota Bradley.
“It’s all artists that students know or will know in the next year, giving students access to them beforehand,” said HSN organizer Jimmy Cantillon. “We try to keep the lineup very diverse, a little bit of everything.”
Cantillon got the idea for High School Nation 12 years ago when his brother started a high school band. Because the band couldn’t play in nearby clubs, Cantillon set them up playing at local high schools at lunch. It was then that he realized he could help improve school arts programs with donations.
“When I saw music and art programs being cut, I felt that I had the unique opportunity to help support the programs.”
Among the retailers with space in the gym were Ernie Ball Guitars, Guitar Center and Tilly’s Clothing.
Cantillon said that Kentwood was chosen because the school proved to HSN that it was most in need of equipment.
Cantillon said that before choosing Kentwood for the endowment they met with teachers and students, checked enrollment demographics and looked at the last time the school had received new arts and music supplies. HSN’s other candidates included Kentridge, Auburn and Thomas Jefferson.
Kentwood was selected as part of High School Nation’s first Northwest tour.
According to Cantillon, they wanted to hit schools in Portland and Seattle areas.
“Every campus that we visit gets a donation of brand new art supplies and music equipment,” Cantillon said.
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