Leyden High Schools notes
Music of the Holidays: District 212's Music Department presents its annual Music of the Holidays concert at 7 p.m. today, in the auditorium at West Leyden High School, 1000 N. Wolf Road, Northlake.
More than 375 band, orchestra, and choir students from both campuses will perform seasonal favorites such as "Feliz Navidad," "Jingle Bell Rock," "Let It Snow," and the "Hallelujah Chorus" sing-a-long.
"We welcome everyone in our schools and community to join us in this wonderful seasonal concert celebration," said Bryan Miller, Music Department Chair at Leyden High School District 212. "Over the past 13 years, the Music of the Holidays concert has become Leyden's tradition of ringing in the holidays. We invite everyone to join us for an uplifting evening of rich musical experiences performed by our dedicated, talented students."
Admission is $1 for students and $2 for adults. Those who bring a canned food or new toy donation will enter the concert free of charge.
In addition, the Card Club offers in-district senior citizens free admission to most activities. For more information, call (847) 451-3090.
"Brighton Beach Memoirs": District 212 theater students present "Brighton Beach Memoirs," a poignant comedy by Neil Simon, at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18, in the auditorium at West Leyden High School, 1000 N. Wolf Road, Northlake.
This rendition of the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award winner for Best Play is completely student generated and includes students from both campuses.
Set in 1937, this semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy revolves around Eugene Morris Jerome, a Russian-Jewish teen living with his tightly knit family in the Brighton Beach neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
The cast also includes Eugene's brother Stanley, their parents Kate and Jack, as well as Kate's sister Blanche and her two daughters Nora and Laurie.
Admission is $2 for students and $3 for adults. Proceeds will benefit the East and West theater clubs. The Card Club offers in-district senior citizens free admission to most activities. For details, call (847) 451-3090.
Silent auction: Student members of West Leyden's Ripple Effect Club are holding a silent auction on from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 20, in the staff dining room at the school, 1000 N. Wolf Road, Northlake.
The club has partnered with World Vision, a worldwide relief and development organization that helps children and their communities overcome poverty, natural disasters, and medical/healthcare issues, says Tom Trousdale, a social worker at the school and project organizer. To that end, proceeds from the auction will be used to support the club's project to help AIDS orphans living in Swaziland, Africa. The club's ultimate goal is to raise $10,000 by June of 2008. To this point, the club has raised more than $5,000.
Community residents are invited to donate items to the auction and also place bids at the event. Examples of donated items include a week-long stay at a time share in the Wisconsin Dells, an autographed NBA jersey signed by Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls, and a mini football signed by Patriots quarterback Tony Romo.
To donate items to the auction and for more information about attending the event, contact Tom Trousdale at (847) 451-3153 and via ttrousdale@leyden212.org.