? Who: One of a Kind Drumline.
? Concert: 7 p.m. Friday.
? Cost: $4; $3 in advance.
? Dinner and
concert: 6 p.m. Saturday; includes a silent auction.
? Cost: $10; must buy tickets by Thursday.
? Where: Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E. 18th St.
? Benefiting: The Drumline’s leadership program and post-secondary scholarships.
? Tickets: www.oneofakinddrumline.com or Edward Esparza, 360-907-1145.
See Spanish-language video of the group from Univision: www.vansd.org, then click on “Spotlight Your School.”
From the start, they’ve raised a racket — in a good way.
Started seven years ago, the One of Kind Drumline percussion ensemble from Martin Luther King. Jr. Elementary School has entertained hundreds of thousands of parade spectators in Vancouver and Portland and appeared at countless other events.
Setting a clear, infectious beat requires discipline and teamwork.
And that’s something MLK students take far beyond the music. They’ve applied their focus to schoolwork and community service, constantly prodded by Eddie Esparza, their energetic founder and leader.
Members have helped to plant thousands of native plants along Burnt Bridge Creek, painted a house for a local family in need and performed at Camp Agape, a special outdoor program near Troutdale, Ore., for families with children who are battling cancer.