Nov 25 2006
Music students to put on benefit for Darfur relief
By Eileen FitzGerald
THE NEWS-TIMES

Note: Bryan Prywes is the Steven Wise Youth Club president at the United Jewish Center.

DANBURY -- Disney music will be the program. Danbury High School students will be the talent. And the children of Darfur will be who benefits from Monday's concert at the high school.

The school's Music Honor Society students came up with the idea to raise money for Save the Children's Darfur relief fund. Senior Jaimie LaPine wrote the theme song, "It Starts with One."

"It's not just about the children of Darfur but for all children. It's to remind us to be mindful of the things going on in the world," the 17-year-old musician said. "In the past five to six years, our generation has seen so much happen in the world," from 9/11 to the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami.

Senior Bryan Prywes said he was inspired by the short documentary "The Promise" that eight Danbury High students made last year about the genocide in Darfur, and he wanted to find a way to help.

The past president of the Music Honor Society started thinking about holding a small cabaret, and the idea grew.

Now the 6 p.m. program will start with a silent auction, raffle and parade for children who wear their favorite costumes, followed by a concert filled with music and dance performances from Disney's animated films.

"One of the best things to do is to return to our childish roots of animated music. We have all these songs that smaller kids will enjoy, but the kid in all of us will enjoy," Prywes said. "It's really cool to see this idea grow. We have people all over the school involved" -- from the National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society, the new group called Students against Starvation, and Amnesty International.

"The goal is to make it an event that Danbury High School can be proud of," he said.

Prywes said he and his classmates have a sense of urgency to take action.

"We carry the burden of the previous generations. Our grandparents lived through the Holocaust and the Vietnam War. We've got a sense that enough is enough," Prywes said. "The whole topic of genocide hits home. I am the grandson of two Holocaust survivors. To see this happen in the world, it makes me want to help. The goal is to get as many people helping in any way they can."

The theme song is about the need for children to be able to look in the eye of an adult who can tell them things are OK.

"It starts with one," LaPine writes, "and ends with love."

The Danbury for Darfur concert is Monday at 6 p.m. at Danbury High School, Clapboard Ridge Road. There is a $5 minimum donation. Proceeds go to Save the Children's relief efforts in Darfur.


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