The Meals on Wheels (MOW) High School Student Leadership Board (HSLB), an organization that works provide nutritious meals to anyone in need, hosted their first ever student music festival at the Tampa Prep parking lot (722 Cass St).

Tickets to the two-hour event were sold online for $10 at www.MOWTampa.org/musicfest or at the event for $12. All the proceeds from the festival will be used to support the High School Student Leadership Board’s project to promote healthy hydration.

“We’re giving reusable tumblers to about 700 elderly and homebound people to encourage hydration,” Liza Armstrong, Tampa Prep senior and HSLB board member said.

All the money made at the event is going directly to HSLB’s project Water on Wheels. Volunteers are donating reusable water tumblers and hurricane prep packs to people in the local area.

“We involved all of the schools that are represented on the Meals on Wheels High School Leadership Board,” Maggie Fitzsimmons, junior and HSLB board member said.

The event was sponsored by five major high schools in the Tampa Bay area: Berkeley Preparatory School, Hillsborough High School, Tampa Preparatory School, H.B. Plant High School and Jesuit. Students from all schools are invited to come.

“When planning a fundraiser, we were looking for something that would get students involved from many high schools across the area,” Armstrong said.

After brainstorming different fundraising ideas, the HSLB board thought that the musical festival was the best choice. They figured that since most high schoolers enjoy music this would be the best way to achieve their goal of $2,000 for the Water on Wheels project.

“Our goal is 200 people, 40 from each school,” Fitzsimmons said.

Since the event was advertised at different schools in the local area, the music festival yielded a mixed group of students, making the event not just a concert but also a social opportunity.

“We have all kinds of performers,” Fitzsimmons junior said. “Everything from singers, bands, acapella groups, and even an electric violin.”

As well as a diverse group of students, the mixed range of performances being done by local artist, will offer something for everyone to enjoy.

“I’m singing two jazz songs,” Sami Jacobson, junior, said.

Jacobson, who was excited to perform at the event, picked a jazz song so she could better connect with the music. She plans on adding her own spin to the songs she is performing.

“We thought a music fest that featured performances from each school would be an exciting and entertaining way for kids across the Tampa Bay to help us achieve our goal for Water on Wheels,” Armstrong said.

The event was a great way for students to enjoy performances by local talent, while raising money for a cause.