Keep Believing in Cleveland
Cleveland 20/20 Music Festival
What a creative approach to reversing “brain drain” in Northeast Ohio. The Beachwood High School team of the Cleveland Apprentice Program (part of 10,000 Little (micro) Ideas to Keep You Believing in Cleveland) has been working two years to develop this unique, hybrid project. They came up with the idea to have a music festival in Cleveland – to bring young people into the city to hear some terrific local talent while also finding out about internships, scholarships, and opportunities here.Project advisor Bob Hardis, principal of Beachwood High School, has met with high school senior team members Matthew Baron, Brittany Crosby, Marc Eisenberg, Michael Pinhasi, and Alexandra Stern on a regular basis to design this special event. Their goal was to find ways for high school and college kids to learn about the benefits of Cleveland so they will consider living here after completing their education.
As a result, the Cleveland 20/20 Music Festival was born in partnership with Live Nation and the 19th Annual Marc’s Great American Rib Cook-off. This event, the official start of summer, will take place at the Time Warner Amphitheatre on Monday, May 31.
From noon to 3:00 p.m., high school and college-age students will enter the event free of charge. They will be treated to the top four winning bands from the 2010 Tri-C High School Rock Off Competition, presentations from local corporate and civic leaders, and one-on-one attention from sponsors along “Opportunity Row.” Representatives from businesses and organizations will talk to kids about internships and other opportunities. As the Rib Cook-off proceeds from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Cleveland20/20 crowd will be entertained by nationally-renowned music headliners moe and Rusted Root.
“We are trying to change the youth perception,” said Marc Eisenberg, Beachwood High School senior and marketing director of the Cleveland 20/20 Music Festival project. “Being involved in this project has showed me that Cleveland is a great place to build a career, to work and live,” he said. Eisenberg and other team members are personally visiting other high schools to spread the word. Beachwood students are also conducting a call-a-thon and social networking campaign to let kids know about the music entertainment and the speakers.
Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman (Ward 3) and Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Incorporated, will be among the leaders to speak to the crowd during concert breaks. Area businesses and organizations will fill 20 tables and booths along “Opportunity Row” to talk directly with Northeast Ohio students.
Project advisor Bob Hardis said, “There are a ton of opportunities here in Cleveland, but kids don’t know about them. Now we are showing them there is reason to come back.”
Kiley Smith, co-president of 10,000 Little (micro) Ideas to Keep You Believing in Cleveland, said, “All along the way, from community leaders to businesses to the high school students and principals, they have all joined in offering support for this project. We believe in the next generation, in helping them to step up and grow into becoming the next leaders of Cleveland.”
The Cleveland 20/20 Music Festival takes place Mon 5/31 at the Time Warner Amphitheatre. For more information, visit http://www.cle2020.com.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Susan Schaul, who says the act of writing is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. The challenge lies in getting the pieces to fit together and make sense.
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