One of the students featured in YourTV’s segment, Daniel Lu, is a Grade 9 student from Abbey Park HS whose rock band, Manifesto, performed at Students in the Spotlight. Lu was “overjoyed” upon learning that Manifesto had passed through the audition and had been selected for the event, stating that the band “had a shared vision of delivering an unforgettable performance in the event, so we had worked very hard in our weekly rehearsals, and each practice session was filled with our passion and determination. We had prepared 2 songs, "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" by John Mayer and "Hey Jude" by the Beatles. Our performance turned out to be a success at the event night, and the audience responded with thunderous applause.”
Marc Clare, CEO of HLF, felt that “it was really heartwarming to see how excited the students were to be part of this event. The feedback we received from the parents and others in attendance was overwhelmingly positive. People really seemed to enjoy themselves and were happy to cheer on these kids who had worked so hard on their performances. Additionally, it was a great opportunity to raise awareness about HLF and how we help ensure that all kids – regardless of their financial situation -- have these same kinds of opportunities to explore their potential.”
Andrew Thies, music teacher at W. H. Morden PS, whose drumline performed at the event, stated that, "it's awesome that we have this opportunity to give back to an organization that we've benefited from. I know so many students across Halton have benefited greatly from the organization because they do wonderful things."
