April 1 Report: Student Advocacy
Union - First Event - Fundraising Concert - Overwhelming Success!
Report by Bob WItanek,
http://StudentAdcocate-NJ.org 908-881-5275
advocate@studentadvocate-nj.org
The room was packed for a concert presented by the NJ Student Advocacy Union to raise funds for the efforts to create a political movement to advocate and struggle for the rights and adequate accommodations for NJ's special education students. The event was a success on every count.
As for parental involvement, there was a standing room only audience. While many were there to see family members or friends perform, they were also there to support the efforts of the NJ Student Advocacy Union.
We presented the petition drive, the plans to rally outside the Department of Education on May 17, the drive to urge Gov. Corzine to meet with us to accept hand delivery of our petition and the need for greater unity and collective advocacy among our forces. For more, see http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org .
The musical offering was superb. Most, but not all performers face developmental challenges but were amply qualified to provide audience pleasing performances. A further description of the program follows.
As for fundraising, a whopping $800 was raised, $50 of which will go toward rent of the space. This significant fund raising achievement is a success not only for the NJ Student Advocacy Union, but for the youth performers. It was their performance that attracted an audience willing to write checks and make cash donations to the cause on behalf of our children.
The involvement of youth in their own advocacy was perhaps the most important achievement of the event. One performer participated in the introduction of the event and laid out the issues at stake for students and parents. He touched on the history of Rosa Parks, who was alone when she sat down on the bus but joined by “many feet” marching toward desegregation. “Every boiling pot starts with a single bubble . . .Every thunderstorm starts with a single drop,” he extolled. He also invoked memory and commemoration of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated on April 4, 1968. He challenged the audience to “Dare to Struggle . . . Dare to Win . . . Dr. King, Live Like Him!”
This event was empowering to the youth – instilling volunteerism and self advocacy – teaching them how to use their abilities to promote a struggle upon their own behalf. In this way, it was a unique event.
The program started with the performance of “B I N G O” by a 4 year old, who was joined by his brother who provided accompaniment from the left side of the bench. We were then treated to piano performances of “The Rock Song” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” by the next two performers, a son and a daughter of two of the founding members of The NJ Student Advocacy Union. Following, another brother and sister performed rousing versions of “Square Dance” followed by Rimsky-Korsokov’s “Theme from Scheherazade.” For an encore, they teamed up for a lively bluesy jazz number, side by side on the piano bench.
Following these competent performances was a solid delivery of Karl Phillip Emmanuel Bach's 'Solfeggio in C minor' on piano.
Then to change the pace somewhat, we were treated to an electric guitar rendition of “Dust in the Wind” by the daughter of another founding member of the NJ Student Advocacy Union.
The next performer was an amazing 7 year old. He hammered out “Invention #5,” by J. S. Bach and “Street Cries,” by Norman Dello Joio on piano. After the performances were over, it was learned that this performer is already writing complex music compositions!
Next we were treated with a competent delivery of the old recital favorite, Fur Elise by Beethoven.
Following, we were favored with crowd pleasing vocalizations of the popular songs “Inside My Heaven” by Carrie Underwood and “Since You Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson.
Next up was a taste from the performance of the Mikado that was recently featured at Montgomery Middle School. Prior to the Middle School performance, a 6-song pre-show stage show entitled “How to Write a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta” by Anna Russell was presented. We were able to include in our program one of those songs with a piano accompaniment. We also recognized the choral director for the Mikado production who was in the audience with his wife, who also volunteered for that production.
Next up was an eerie violin solo of the traditional “Ghost of John,” arranged by Susan C. Brown. This same performer then sat down at the piano bench and delivered a resounding rendition of the First Movement of Beethoven’s 27th Sonata for Piano followed by David Lanz’s “Prelude to the Dance,”
Finally, the house joined together. We got up out of our seats. We stood up and sang together with accompaniment of piano, drums and lead vocalists – “Get Up, Stand Up!” by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh with lyrics modified to fit the struggles before our children. (Lyrics at this link: http://www.studentadvocate-nj.org/get_up.htm )
We were also honored by presence of Pat Gesuado of “Drumming Against Disabiities,” a project that uses drum therapy to help students with varying learning disabilities. For more on his program, see: http://www.dadprogram.org/overview.html .
The event was a resounding success by every measure. Perhaps the most important measure is the involvement of children with challenges in their own advocacy, in volunteering and using their talent and achievement for the betterment of themselves and hundreds of thousands of other special education children, in leadership and standing up on issues and urging all parents into greater collective action, in helping to build the NJ Student Advocacy Union into a force that will take on state and federal challenges being hurled at our children. What we are witnessing is the development of a cultural component of a new political movement to empower special education students and their families, with out children in the lead.
We announced at the event that we will be proceeding with a similar benefit concert recital in September or October of 2006. We probably will need to book a larger hall. Hopefully the next time – you will be there – to see our children shine, to see them get up and stand up, to see them volunteer and advocate and to support them by becoming part of the New Jersey Student Advocacy Union efforts to challenge state policies on behalf of our children, so . . . as our song goes, they can get their “FAPE before they get old.”
Ask the Advocate
NJ Complaint Form (MS Word)
(PDF)
On Line Public Hearing on IDEIA 2004
Survey on NJ OSEP Complaint
Process
Past Activities
IEP Wkshp
Rec. Programs for
those w/ Disabilities
An Evening of Educational Advocacy
September 8, 2005 Edison, NJ
What The Student Advocate Has Done for Our Children
Lately . . .
NJ IDEIA 2004 Organizing Committee
Minutes of IDEIA 2004 meeting on Thu., May
26
Student Rights Radio
Discussion, October 31
Effort to
Reach Gubernatorial Hopefuls and Acting Governor / Candidates
IDEA: An Update
Dec. 5, 2005
Middletown
January 18,
2006: Hold a Candle Light for Our Children's Rights
50 Strong For Our
Children
No. Jersey Radio Interview Aired, 1/22
Petitioning for Rights Children: Legal in Princeton
Interview on NJ IDEIA Rights
- Racial Disparities in Sp-Ed
Call
is Heard in Montgomery Twp: Inclusive Recreation
NJSAU Minutes 2/18/2006
Playing and Singing for
Our Rights, 4/1/6
Better IDEA Laws for Special Education
Students?
Better IEPs? Anything is Possible!
April
1 Report: Student Advocacy Union - Fundraising Concert
Mobilization for Rights
of Our Children, May 17, 2006, Trenton
Nationwide Internet Radio Rally for Sp-Ed Parent Rights
9pm EST, Sat. May 20
Parents’ Rally @ Statehouse in Trenton Thursday, June 8, 2006
Piscataway Parents Mtg, June 19, 2006