Rockin’, rollin’ toward a cure

Months of preparation paid off big for the Key Club of Cumberland Valley High School in Pennsylvania, students, and, most importantly, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).

A Key Club member cozies up to headline singer Matt White. Submit your Key Club's success story to Key Club In Action .

A crowd of about 600 students enjoys the fruits of Key Club’s labor.

The club organized a “Rock for a Cure” concert benefiting the CFF, but students also benefited by experiencing an up-and-coming singer and songwriter, Matt White, and his band. Matt White has toured with and been compared to John Mayer. In addition, two bands made up of Cumberland Valley students served as opening acts.

“We sold 600 tickets to the event,” says club president Ahlea Isabella. “We raised US$3,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.”

“Most of the audience were students from our school and surrounding high schools,” Ahlea says. “Everyone loved all three bands!”

And while Ahlea says the planning was intense, it also required a little bit of luck to get a headliner for the concert: “(Key Clubber) Cassie Leighton was our contact to Matt White,” she says. “She saw him at a concert she went to for Constantine—an American Idol contestant—and Matt White was the opening act. She liked him so much she joined his “street team.” His street team was so small at the time, they talked to him quite a bit, and that’s how she found out he wanted to do small shows. So she suggested one at our high school, and he accepted!”