GAIL WHITE Youngstown students connect in Big Apple

The Youngstown Connection is renowned for its singing and dancing routines. Indeed, this troupe will put goose bumps up and down your spine.
But there is a depth to these young people that goes deeper than any baritone could ever reach.
Every year, this group of 12 students, chosen from the three Youngstown high schools, travels to New York City to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as part of the America Sings organization.
United with 650 America Sings performers, our Youngstown troupe was chosen to stand front and center as the group stopped to perform in front of the grandstands at the nationally televised parade.
You would think that would be the highlight of these young people's lives.
Not so: Sitting and talking with them after the event, not one made mention of the parade, however.
Instead, I heard story after story of an experience the singers were involved in days before the parade.
"These kids raised over $1,000 extra to go a day early," explained Dr. Carol Baird, director of the group and supervisor of Creative and Performing Arts for Youngstown City Schools.
"They rode in the soup kitchen vans all throughout Manhattan, serving food to the homeless," Baird shared.
"There were lines and lines of people," group member Shawn Tucker said. "Some of them were really hungry. They wanted two meals. We couldn't give them two."
"It was hard to say no," Michelle Holland added. "I have done community service before. It is different when you go up to them and see their face."
"I handed this guy a carton of milk," said Brandon Thomas. "He smiled and said thank you. He was so happy about one carton of milk."
The experience had a profound effect on the way these young people view their own lives.
More grateful: Kelly Cecil said, "I realized that I am truly blessed. I am so much more grateful now."
Melissa Rosendary agrees. "It made me think about my home, my room, my clothes and food. I thank God for those."
"All I could think about was how we take life for granted a lot," said Arianne Ackerman.
"It wasn't hard. We did just a little bit," Ashley Schmidt said, reflecting on her efforts. "Everybody doing a little bit makes a big difference."
Jason Rosendary summed up the experience for the group: "We all live in Youngstown. We think sometimes we don't have. We think we are poor," he says with a maturity beyond his years. "We are rich. We have food, clothes, family and warmth. It showed us how rich we truly are."
Another experience: While feeding the homeless left an incredible impression on these young people, another experience on their New York trip was poignant as well.
"We were chosen to sing at a press conference held by Mayor[Rudolph] Guiliani at a fire station near ground zero," Baird said.
The press conference was scheduled for 11 a.m. At the last minute, however, it was changed to 2 p.m. -- the exact time the group had tickets for a Broadway production.
Baird approached the group with the conflict.
"Jason put his head down, then looked up," Baird recalled. "'There is no choice,' " he said.
The group performed, "From Where I Stand," an inspiring song of hope for our nation, at the press conference.
"The mayor said it was the first time he has seen hard-core reporters weep," one of the students shared.
A gift: But this group was not done.
They came across the wall where families had placed pictures of their loved ones that were missing after Sept. 11.
"There were all kinds of gifts and candles and notes on the wall," Matthew Alexander explained. "We didn't have anything to give. We didn't even have a pen to sign the wall. So we sang. That was our gift."
gwhite@vindy.com