“We will never, ever let go / Hold on to never, ever let go.”

-from “Forbidden Drive”
created by students from Hill-Freedman World Academy

Last week we had an amazing moment.

A team of LiveConnections’ artists was working on the final push to produce a new album with our great partner Hill-Freedman World Academy, a Philly public high school.

And at 4:45pm last Tuesday afternoon, 11 people — 9 students, LiveConnections teaching artist Luke Carlos O’Reilly, and the school principal Tony Majewski — crammed into a hallway to rehearse a song that students had written with the principal.

It’s a love song, full of tenderness and optimism: “We will never, ever let go / Hold on to never, ever let go.”

Most of the school had gone home, but these young people and their principal were so focused — vulnerable, heartfelt, inspired.

There was soulful singing. There was connection. There was celebration.

That’s the power of learning through music.

#KidsCount19
#whatsYOURsong

[Back to Kids Count 2019]

A student works on producing his own tracks in the music technology lab at Hill-Freedman World Academy. (Image: Jaci Downs Photography)

LiveConnections is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional support provided in part by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund.

LiveConnections.org is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, tax ID 26-2666641. The official registration and financial information of LiveConnections.org may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.