Money will fund music program at the continuation school
Gilroy – Mt. Madonna High School students will soon have the chance to blow their own horn.
On Thursday, the 2005 class of Leadership Gilroy presented a $9,219 check to Mt. Madonna Principal Sergio Montenegro during Gilroy Unified School District’s board meeting.
The money will be used to create a music program.
Leadership Gilroy is an interactive, instructional program designed to create a network of communication between emerging community leaders and current local leaders.
During the nine-month program the 19-member group must attend meetings on a monthly basis and develop and implement a class project.
The project must have significant impact on the community and must incorporate criteria such as employing leadership skills and class participation. The development and execution of the project must provide a leadership challenge to the class members.
Leadership Gilroy learned of the desire to create the music program at Mt. Madonna during round-table discussions between parents, students and educators at the continuation school last year.
John Perales, former Mt. Madonna principal and one of the 2005 Leadership Gilroy classmates, invited members of the group to the meetings. After attending the sessions, Leadership Gilroy decided to organize a fundraiser that would help Mt. Madonna kick start the program.
To raise money, the group staged a charity function at Bonfante Gardens Family Theme Park, which included a classic car show, raffle, dinner and drinks and a concert. The volunteers recruited sponsors and donors for the evening and marketed and promoted the event in a variety of ways.
The group spent time educating the community about the importance of adding a music program at Mt. Madonna. Leadership Gilroy handed the money over to Montenegro on Thursday, but they still have work to do, Sue Thurman wrote in a press release.
Thurman said the group is currently working on getting instruments donated from professional musicians and plans to work closely with Mt. Madonna to ensure that the program emerges.
