CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - On Friday, May 29, John Jay Middle School hosted the 17th annual ArtsAlive fundraiser. Partnering with the teacher-led band Halfway to Sanity, the benefit was not an official school function, so organizer Jesse Weiss laid out the ground rules.
“This is a rock concert, so be loud,” said the JJMS sixth-grade teacher and drummer.
Gabi Lesmerises gave the crowd good reason. She opened the show with “Sparks Fly,” and the audience enthusiastically embraced the Taylor Swift hit.
An American girl for sure, Juliana Fusco, Charlotte Beckett, Sara Bryant and Anika Miklusak reinforced the point with a performance of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”
While enjoying the rendition, Anika’s father could attest to the commitment involved.
“In the car, in the house, on the way to practice, the song was stuck in her head,” said Neil Miklusak. “She was singing it all the time.”
But memorization wasn’t the biggest takeaway for him. Miklusak cited the event’s relaxed atmosphere, and the result was hard to miss.
“The biggest thing is you can see how much fun the kids are having,” he said.
Dad got swept up in the excitement as well.
“I was waving my lighted phone like everyone else,” he joked.
Spiro Limniatis also found it difficult to stay still in his seat.
“The music is from my era — all the songs I grew up with,” he said.
His daughter, Asimina, captivated the crowd with “Message in a Bottle” by The Police. So did Patrick Yatsko with “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. A fan of 1980s rock, Yatsko explained the appeal.
“I love the energy and the rebelliousness,” he said.
His performance delivered more than just notes. With plenty of animated stage moves, Yatsko drew inspiration from a much earlier era.
“The way Elvis danced, I wanted to channel that,” he said.
Yatsko wasn’t the only inspired rocker. Archer Kendall performed “Boys in the Better Land” while sporting a pair of sunglasses.
“I’m telling everyone I’m Fontaines D.C.,” said the eighth-grader.
The enthusiastic cheers suggested the message got across. For Kai Campbell, rock music offers an outlet.
“The music allows me to get my tense emotions out,” said the sixth-grader after belting out “Someday.”
Grace Krzeminski agreed. Performing “I Lived” by OneRepublic, she appreciated the freedom the genre provides.
“Rock ’n’ roll lets you be yourself and let it all out,” she said.
David Seligson had no trouble doing exactly that, and the enthusiasm flowed both ways.
“They feed off us, and we feed off them,” said the guitarist for Halfway to Sanity.
Watching him bounce around the stage, it was clear he is about more than teaching guitar chords. ArtsAlive President Colleen Cerami put the experience in perspective.
“Rock ’n’ roll is about having fun. It’s the entire experience,” she said.
Katie Lyman certainly saw that joy in her daughter’s performance. Lucy Alvarez teamed with Aubrey Hickerson, Sammi Mishler, Addie Black, Kayden Zogg, Monica Popescu and Amanda Popescu on “Carry On Wayward Son.”
But Lyman was also struck by the bigger picture.
“It’s exciting to see the sixth-graders who were in kindergarten during COVID and understand how far they have come,” she said.
Looking back was part of the evening’s appeal as well.
“It brings back a lot of memories,” said Cerami.
If the crowd’s reaction was any indication, many more memories are still to come.
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