MAHONING VALLEY Rock-off to benefit Ulster Project

The winning band gets money and four hours of studio time.
BOARDMAN -- When Craig Warden's son traveled to Cleveland last year with his band for a high school "rock-off," he had an idea.
Warden, a member of Mahoning Valley's Ulster Project, thought such an event would be perfect for his organization's drive to raise $12,000 for the group's exchange program of Northern Ireland teens.
"It's a great way for us to meet our goal, and to give kids in our area a place to play," said Warden of Boardman.
So he sent off a letter to 29 area high schools asking for potential bands to sign up. Twelve bands did, and the show is set for April 27 at St. Luke Banquet Center on South Avenue. The event will last from 3 to 9 p.m.
"Kids in high school don't have many places to go, maybe a bar or someplace like that," he added. "So this is a good place to give kids someplace to play."
The winning band will receive $200 plus four hours of studio time, while their school's music department also will get $200.
More importantly, Warden said, money and awareness for the Ulster Project will be raised.
About Ulster Project: The project brings 12 teens from Northern Ireland to Mahoning Valley each July and tries to bridge the gap between Catholics and Protestants.
The teens -- six Catholics and six Protestants -- are matched with host families of the same religion. For the entire month, they go on trips, shop and volunteer in the community.
"It's eye-opening for everyone," said Rosie Jay of Boardman, a volunteer host parent the past three years. "We have just as much fun as the kids do."
Chosen from schools and churches back home for their leadership ability, the Northern Ireland teens are expected to sit down and discuss problems from back home.
Catholics and Protestants have "been at war for 800 years over religious and political differences," Warden said.
The trip to America is supposed to open their eyes.
"The main idea is to show them how Catholics and Protestants over here get along," Warden said. "There's no barrier between them."
Jay said she noticed how well the Irish teens handle themselves.
"The Northern Ireland children have no problem leading," she said. "They're cognizant of the world around them. They've experienced a whole lot more in their 14 or 15 years than our children have."