“Two basic tools”

From the darkness rises the rhythmic hum of the cicadas. A lone elephant trumpets, and some howler monkeys put up a cry as they swing home through the trees. A family of tree frogs joins the chorus, and a rattlesnake warns the other animals to stay away. In their unique rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," the students of Community MusicWorks have made the jungle come alive inside a darkened high school auditorium [see Dollars for Darfur on May 1], using only stringed instruments and their imaginations. With these two basic tools, Community MusicWorks carries out its mission of empowering youth and transforming its community.

-Adrienne Gagnon, Youth Salon attendee and Art + Design Education grad student at RISD