This past Saturday, the high school’s 8th annual JAM Fest, a student lead concert and fundraiser for the choral department, took place. JAM Fest also gives back to the community, by allowing students to compete for prize money. 

JAM Fest heightened this year with its new addition: The JAM band. In previous years, JAM Fest participants either had to search for piano accompaniment, find a backing track on Youtube, or have to have their own band and play all of their own instruments. However, this year the JAM band, which consists of piano, drums, and a bass guitar played for every student performing, and they no longer had to scour for background music. 

“The biggest stress  [of] people [that] would perform at Jam Fest [is] most of the time, who’s going to play my music for me?,” says Nicholas Mayes, choir teacher and organizer of JAM Fest. “I [thought], I wonder what happens if we take out that fear…and then if we play everything everybody’s on the same playing field.”

Mayes says that the event was originally meant to mimic the Booster Bash. 

“We originally did more raffle baskets,” he says, “and then there was the concert. But throughout the years we’ve done less baskets and more so focused on the concert, culminating in Saturday’s concert, which was all about the music and about giving students a chance to work with a professional band.”

JAM Fest is one of the choral department biggest fundraisers for the year, and this year raised over 3,000 dollars. These funds go towards necessities for the programs. Last year, the money raised went towards new microphones for a capella choir, and this year, a majority of the funds are going towards the Orlando trip in February, subsidizing costs for students and making the experience the best possible.

Students like senior Leah Polsinelli love participating in JAM Fest, and love performing for a cause that supports their music department. 

What she likes about JAM Fest is “the fact that it is a program that can allow for people who [love to perform and] who are our friends, to be able to partake in opportunities [and be on stage.]”  She also likes that it’s not limited to one student group, but open to all students. 

As a contest, JAM Fest has three guest judges from the community that judge the competition. There is also a vote from the audience for a “People’s Choice” award. 

This year, Evelyn Simmons, who performed “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked,” won the People’s Choice award and third place. Henry Saiter won second place for his performance of “Stars” from “Les Miserables,” and Jason Dietry won first place and a grand prize of $225 with a performance of “Pizza Angel” from “Veggie Tales.”

Students who perform are not required to be a part of any music programs at Alder, and many performers in this year’s JAM fest, like Polsinelli, were not a part of the choral department. 

“Even if you’re not in choir, I mean I’m not in choir, I know I’m probably not as well-trained, but just doing it and just having fun with it… [is] really what it’s about.”