By Kids For Kids Rocks the House

After three years of pandemic-related cancellations, the anticipation was high leading up to our 20th By Kids For Kids concert on Saturday night. As the 3rd and 4th graders took to the stage for the opening number, the smiles from the packed house lit up the room and didn’t stop until well after the final curtain. There were 20 acts in all – solo and group performances by students and faculty, with a wide range of music genres, all showcasing the remarkable talent within the IMS community.

By Kids For Kids (BKFK) is a student-run concert that began in 2001 as the brainchild of a few IMS students in collaboration with the IMS Community Service program and the Music Department. The goal of BKFK is to raise awareness and funds to support the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp based in Ashford, CT and founded by Paul Newman in 1988. Over the last twenty years, IMS has donated more than $50,000 to help children with serious illnesses to attend summer camp at no cost.  On Saturday, generous donations at the door and proceeds from the bake-sale at intermission helped raise enough to send a child to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for free this summer. 

After the concert, Mr. Mcglone, who helped coordinate the event, was effusive: “It was epic! So many talented children and supportive faculty came together to help make this night happen. The positive vibes are still resonating.”  Indeed, BKFK has become a favorite annual event. Or, as Mr. C. Pecchia puts it, “It’s the best night of the year.”