Jonesing for Jonas: Teen pop phenoms surprise Elgin school
When Claudia Gutierrez walked into Kimball Middle School's gym Friday morning, she got the wind knocked out of her.
This time, it wasn't a flying dodgeball or a collision with another student during a soccer game.
The Jonas Brothers, the teenage pop phenomenon who made their name opening for Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, surprised the school with a concert to help promote Breakfast Breaks, a grab-and-go breakfast product by ESE Foods.
More Coverage Video Jonas Brothers at Kimball Middle School
"I could hardly breathe," the eighth-grader said. "Seriously, this is the best day of my life."
Clad in black skinny jeans, sneakers and button-down shirts, Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas sang three songs for the 776 students, interspersed with plugs of the importance of eating breakfast every day.
ESE Foods is a subsidiary of East Side Entrees of Woodbury, N.Y. A large portion of the company's business comes from the Elgin area, Elgin Area School District U-46 communications spokeswoman Terry Ryan said.
Kimball Assistant Principal Kerry Sund said the school was asked in January if they'd like the brothers to come and perform.
"We said, 'Of course, we'll take it,'" he said.
Only Sund and Kimball Principal Al Tamburrino knew of the concert before yesterday, Sund said. "We kept it a secret from the staff and the kids."
Over the past week, rumors were flying around the school that "somebody big" was coming to visit, he said.
"Some were saying they heard it was Oprah or Tony the Tiger. ... Some were even talking about Jim Oberweis. I think for (the kids) the Jonas Brothers were the biggest thing that could happen.
"Nothing like this has ever happened before at Kimball," Gutierrez said.
Danielle Bauer, an eighth-grader, was sitting in the front row of the gym's bleachers when Nick Jonas threw his guitar pick into the crowd.
Bauer caught the pick and began crying as she raised her arm into the air. "I'm definitely going to frame this," she said.
The brothers also performed Friday night at Rosemont's Allstate Arena.
"We love Chicago," Nick Jonas said. "It's great to finally be here on our own tour."