Picture by Mohamad Baltaji
Emily Richardson, Contributing Author
The RVA East Finish Pageant returned to rejoice music and humanities in assist of East Finish Richmond Public Faculties after a two-year hiatus. Since its starting in 2016, the competition has raised over $400,000, in line with competition co-chair Marilyn Heckstall.
The fifth RVA East Finish Pageant occurred on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Henry L. Marsh, III Elementary Faculty. Pageant attendees might get pleasure from purchasing with native distributors, native organizations providing hands-on actions, like crafts for youngsters, and dance performances all through the day.
All proceeds from the occasion will likely be put towards music, performing arts and visible artwork packages in East Finish faculties, in line with a press launch from the competition.
Previous proceeds have been used to offer and restore musical devices for college students, assemble a dance studio at Armstrong Excessive Faculty and buy visible artwork provides and choral risers, in line with the competition’s press launch.
This yr’s monetary objective was $100,000, as said within the press launch. The group has not calculated donations from this yr’s competition, in line with consultant Sara Hunt.
The competition first happened when varied leaders of the East Finish group got here collectively to debate how they may assist meet the wants of the group, in line with the co-chair. Heckstall, the previous pastor of Asbury Church Hill United Methodist Church, mentioned there was a consensus that music and humanities play an necessary position in kids’s mind growth.
“We need to encourage our college students to prioritize excellence in schooling, music and the humanities as a basis for his or her future,” Heckstall mentioned.
Internet hosting this yr’s competition at Marsh Elementary is significant to the values of the competition, in line with Heckstall.
“Henry Marsh is a gorgeous new college with modern expertise,” Heckstall mentioned. “It offers the mandatory atmosphere for artistic, difficult and productive studying.”
The competition needs to honor the advantages of getting a technologically superior college as it’s an funding in college students’ future, Heckstall mentioned.
Pageant co-chair James “Saxsmo” Gates grew up attending Richmond Public Faculties within the East Finish and started enjoying the saxophone within the sixth grade.
“Music and the humanities have been pivotal in my life,” Gates mentioned. “I would like our college students to have the identical possibilities as I did to unlock their artistic potential and even uncover profession pathways.”
The competition is a crucial alternative for youngsters to see music and artwork in motion, Gates mentioned.
“If artwork is true there in entrance of them, they will get excited,” Gates mentioned. “They will see it. They will really feel it. We’re elevating cash so we are able to make it potential for them.”
Sponsors for the competition embody Bon Secours Richmond Well being System and United Well being Care, in line with a press launch from the competition.
Becky Clay Christensen, government director of group well being for Bon Secours Richmond Well being System, mentioned the competition offers a basis for management in Richmond.
“Investing on this enriching occasion aligns with our mission to impression the well being and well-being of the youth and households in our communities,” Christensen said.
Musical performances included the Richmond Public Faculties All Metropolis Marching Band, the Richmond Symphony’s Capital Horn Quartet, James “Saxsmo” Gates and Tre. Charles. Dancers from Richmond City Dance and Artistry in Movement Performing Arts Middle carried out on the competition as nicely.
Singer-songwriter Tre. Charles mentioned he was excited to carry out at a competition benefitting the humanities in public faculties.
“I got here from public faculties,” Charles mentioned. “I used to be in choir. I continued to do it by the years and it turned a pure a part of me, and helped me to specific myself in a artistic approach.”
Charles mentioned he hopes attendees of the competition might see the optimistic impression that music can have.
“I hope they will see how a lot the artists actually care about this trigger,” he mentioned. “There’s numerous artists on the lineup from numerous completely different backgrounds. Everybody’s coming collectively to advertise this trigger.”
