Pacific Ridge School Jazz/Rock Ensemble and Student Band Dirty Gold Attract Crowds and Raise Funds at Youth Helping Youth Concert Series Event

CARLSBAD, CA, March 04, 2011 (Press-News.org) The Pacific Ridge School Jazz/Rock Ensemble and student band Dirty Gold appeared at It's a Grind Coffeehouse in Encinitas last month to benefit Banding Together, an organization that helps provide music therapy scholarships, mentorships, and instruments for youth with special needs. Twenty percent (20%) of all purchases during the evening were donated to the organization for the funding of scholarships. Additional donations were made by individuals, as well as through the sale of raffle tickets. Far surpassing the goal of raising $495 to provide a six-month music therapy scholarship for a young boy, the students were able to draw more than 200 community members and garner $800 in donations for a full year of music therapy.

"This partnership is so important because it allows Pacific Ridge School students to exercise their ethical responsibility to the community and be leaders by setting an example," said Andrea Moriarty, board member for Banding Together and parent of an 11th grade student at Pacific Ridge School. "They influenced their families and friends to give to a cause with which they identified. Pacific Ridge students understand that music is an integral component of their academic experience, advocating that music be available to others engages them in the world as well as the classroom."

Banding Together believes a community of people sharing a passion for music can "band together" to assist in making music therapy possible for struggling families and help young children reach their potential. The Youth Helping Youth Concert Series is an inclusive, intergenerational, sometimes international, event for the public. Local youth have the opportunity to raise money and awareness for children with special developmental and financial needs to pursue their musical interests that would otherwise not be possible. Music therapy is uniquely able to address the myriad of goals a child with special needs faces in an intrinsically motivating way. Music therapy is often not funded by school districts or covered by health insurance, despite its proven ability to enhance a child's self-esteem and development of language, social, and behavioral skills.

Local businesses rallied behind the January concert event, with raffle items donated by the Belly Up Tavern, AMX Music Exchange, Xtreme Yogurt, and Ultra Star Cinemas.

For a full schedule of Youth Helping Youth concert events, and to make a donation, visit http://www.bandingtogethersd.org. Banding Together also accepts gently used instruments.

About Pacific Ridge School:
Opened in the fall of 2007, Pacific Ridge School is a non-profit, independent middle and high school located in the North County, San Diego. With the distinctive mission of building a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, Pacific Ridge offers a first-rate educational experience to prepare students for college and a purposeful life. For more information, visit http://www.pacificridge.org. Pacific Ridge School does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other administered programs.