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SCHOOL DARES TO BE COOL


Chicago Sun Times - October 17, 2007
BY LISA LENOIR
Sun-Times Columnist

San Miguel Schools Chicago held its first-ever grand-scale gala Thursday, with plenty of passion and rock 'n' roll.

Set against the backdrop of the Museum of Contemporary Art's "Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967," "Collection Highlights, 1949-2007" and "Record Times: 40 Years From the MCA Archive," the charity's "School of Rock" brought out a casual jeans-wearing crowd ready to party for a cause.

A quiet secret, the San Miguel Schools Chicago has been putting at-risk middle-school Latino and African-American children from the inner city on successful paths through its schools, Back of the Yards Campus, 1949 W. 48th St., and the Gary Comer Campus, 819 N. Leamington. Founded by Ed Siderewicz and Gordon Hannon in 1995, the institution has seen results in its focused, disciplined education. It's had 98 percent of its alumni complete high school.

"San Miguel is a diamond in the rough," said Siderewicz, its president. "A lot people don't know about us."

The fund-raiser, developed by chairs Kevin Allodi and Marta Krug, was launched to change that. "The whole goal was to make some money and raise awareness [of the school] and have a good time," Allodi said.

They joined forces with San Miguel Schools board chairman John Buck, who's been involved with the school for about eight years. "They teach kids how to succeed instead of fail," Buck said. "Even though they are small schools, they've made a large difference for the families involved. They keep the classes small, they get to know the parents and the parents must be involved."

Siderewicz said Buck's blessing, along with that of the late Gary Comer and his family, has been critical to its development. "Here's a man of his position giving back," Siderewicz said of Buck. "He's inspiring other people in the process."

Featured performances were by Jim Peterik of the Ides of March, James Young and Lawrence Gowan of Styx, Gary Loizzo of the American Breed, Ronnie Rice of the New Colony Six, Jim Pilster of the Cryan' Shames and the original bandmates of the Lovin' Spoonful.

Top bucks went for the "Top Gun" live auction item, where the bidder and his guest will be flown on a military transport plane to an aircraft carrier, complete with an arrested landing. The minimum bid was $2,000; it sold for $50,000. *****