On Wednesday, March 2, the Floral Park Memorial Student Council will hold its annual Battle of the Bands event. The night will feature numerous acts that transcend traditional rock band styles, including a teacher act. Veteran bands like Third Rail and Summer Haze will be performing their unique adaptions of popular songs and showcase original pieces. The show will be hosted by Student Council President Thomas Kenna and Vice Presidents Mahesh Tiwari and Sophia Ramcharitar, who will be conducting fun trivia sessions between acts.

This year, Student Council will donate the proceeds of Battle of the Bands to Reason2Smile, a non-governmental organization that Floral Park Memorial’s Global Awareness Club has worked with frequently this year. Reason2Smile is a direct link to the Jambo Jipya School located in Mwtapa, Kenya. Jambo Jipya, which means “something new” in Swahili, was founded in 2004 and has since expanded into a successful school for over 240 Kenyan students. Students are taught by a dozen certified Kenyan teachers and many graduates go on to complete their collegiate studies. Ms. Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial’s head librarian, is actively involved with Reason2Smile and serves as its educational chair. She has visited the Jambo Jipya School in Kenya and has worked tirelessly to see its success. Ms. Rosenblum has shared her dedication for Reason2Smile here at Floral Park, and the students’ stories deeply resonate with many students.

As high school students who have deeply benefitted from our education, it is our responsibility to guarantee this right to others across the globe. Tickets for Battle of the Bands will be sold during lunch periods by members of Student Council. Come show your support for these bands and Reason2Smile this Wednesday at 7 pm in the auditorium!