Direct appeal to private sector yields results for NJ high school choir

by Tricia Tirella

North Hudson, NJ — Horace Mann School’s council had attempted
to raise funds for a new sound system for the school, but they were
only able to raise around a fifth of the cost of the expensive
$4,000 system.

Nikhil Vats, an eighth grade chorus member, said that the old
system’s deficiencies were glaringly obvious during the school’s
concerts. Due to the expensive price tag, the Student Council (of
which Vats is a member) was unable to raise enough funds for new
equipment.

Choral Director Melissa Welz said their system consisted of one
dented microphone.

North Bergen Committeeman Tom Stampe, who also had a daughter in
the choir, contacted Grace Construction Products, a local company
on 85th Street. Grace has in the past donated to the North Bergen
school system and had allowed North Hudson Regional Fire and
Rescue, the fire department for five towns in North Hudson, to use
its facilities for training.

Supervisor Chris Troyano contacted its charity division, Grace
Foundation, about donating a sound system to the school and
received $4,150 of funding to do so.

“It’s important, because usually in our concerts, the students
and parents would complain that they can’t hear us when we were
singing or the band is playing,” said Vats.

Troyano planned to pick up the sound system this week from the
Sam Ash Music store located in Paramus, and deliver it to the
school, which will have it installed in early May.

He said it will consist of speakers, mixers, soundboards,
microphones, and other components.