MONROE - Getting help from the Student Senate to put on a benefit concert: $200.
Raising money through the concert to help with a charity: $1,948.
The chance to help Invisible Children Inc. with a tragedy in northern Uganda: Priceless.
What started as a project by five students in Sarah Domres' social studies class turned into a huge success Monday night. Four high school bands - The Fever, Point of Suspence, Viduus and Skinner Hollow - drew a crowd of about 200 people to Monroe High School's Performing Arts Center to raise money for Invisible Children. Student organizers only planned for and hoped to attract a crowd of 50.
"I was ecstatic at the turnout," said Ciaran O'Neill-Culhane, a 15-year-old sophomore who was one of the benefit's organizers.
"I realized the day before the concert that not many people may show up."
Domres said students were paying their $5 admission and then putting more money into donation boxes.
"It was amazing to see 200 kids sit quietly and watch things," Domres said. "It was cool because I had my faith restored in adolescents again."
Invisible Children provides education, food and health care to northern Ugandan children who get caught up against their will in a civil war between the government and Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) that has lasted more than 20 years.
The LRA uses children as soldiers. They are taken from schools and homes, brainwashed and forced to kill. Other children live in fear of being abducted.
Filmmakers Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole formed Invisible Children Inc. after shooting a documentary film about the children's plight. The organization is an effort by mostly college- and high school-age students to help save the children.
The children's plight has largely gone unnoticed in the United States.
Parts of the documentary were played between band spots at the concert.
"A lot of the students had no idea it was going on," said sophomore Claire Wyttenbach, 16, another organizer. "Many of the students said the film was powerful and sad at the same time."
O'Neill-Culhane came up with the idea for the concert after he and another organizer, Jakob Anderson, saw the film with O'Neill-Culhane's sister at UW-Madison. Sophomores Abby Schwenn and Joe Urban also organized the event.
Grades for the service project were due last week. Domres gave all the students A's, trusting they would follow through.
"They were so moved by the cause that it really wasn't about the grade," Domres said. "They did this to give back and to help others that are less fortunate."
The concert and the turnout stuck with Domres on Tuesday.
"I have been blown away all day," Domres said. "I am so proud of the students who did this, but also of the all the students who attended.
"This gave the school a boost, and many teachers are seeing the students in a new light."
It costs Invisible Children $300 to provide its services to one child. The money raised Monday will help six children, thanks to the large crowd.
"I was just in awe," Schwenn said. "There are students in our school who don't care about helping other people. I had no idea our school could be that supportive."
Raising money through the concert to help with a charity: $1,948.
The chance to help Invisible Children Inc. with a tragedy in northern Uganda: Priceless.
What started as a project by five students in Sarah Domres' social studies class turned into a huge success Monday night. Four high school bands - The Fever, Point of Suspence, Viduus and Skinner Hollow - drew a crowd of about 200 people to Monroe High School's Performing Arts Center to raise money for Invisible Children. Student organizers only planned for and hoped to attract a crowd of 50.
"I was ecstatic at the turnout," said Ciaran O'Neill-Culhane, a 15-year-old sophomore who was one of the benefit's organizers.
"I realized the day before the concert that not many people may show up."
Domres said students were paying their $5 admission and then putting more money into donation boxes.
"It was amazing to see 200 kids sit quietly and watch things," Domres said. "It was cool because I had my faith restored in adolescents again."
Invisible Children provides education, food and health care to northern Ugandan children who get caught up against their will in a civil war between the government and Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) that has lasted more than 20 years.
The LRA uses children as soldiers. They are taken from schools and homes, brainwashed and forced to kill. Other children live in fear of being abducted.
Filmmakers Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole formed Invisible Children Inc. after shooting a documentary film about the children's plight. The organization is an effort by mostly college- and high school-age students to help save the children.
The children's plight has largely gone unnoticed in the United States.
Parts of the documentary were played between band spots at the concert.
"A lot of the students had no idea it was going on," said sophomore Claire Wyttenbach, 16, another organizer. "Many of the students said the film was powerful and sad at the same time."
O'Neill-Culhane came up with the idea for the concert after he and another organizer, Jakob Anderson, saw the film with O'Neill-Culhane's sister at UW-Madison. Sophomores Abby Schwenn and Joe Urban also organized the event.
Grades for the service project were due last week. Domres gave all the students A's, trusting they would follow through.
"They were so moved by the cause that it really wasn't about the grade," Domres said. "They did this to give back and to help others that are less fortunate."
The concert and the turnout stuck with Domres on Tuesday.
"I have been blown away all day," Domres said. "I am so proud of the students who did this, but also of the all the students who attended.
"This gave the school a boost, and many teachers are seeing the students in a new light."
It costs Invisible Children $300 to provide its services to one child. The money raised Monday will help six children, thanks to the large crowd.
"I was just in awe," Schwenn said. "There are students in our school who don't care about helping other people. I had no idea our school could be that supportive."