By Dighan Kelly
Staff Writer

The John Lennon Bus and a group called High School Nation are coming to Baldwin High School next month, bringing with them three recording artists to perform for students and several thousand dollars’ worth of donations for arts equipment and education.

Additionally, there will be a mobile recording studio some students will be able to use, as well as a media tent where artists and local politicians will be interviewed by students in yearbook, newspaper, and video production. Open to everyone will be a series of tents and stations aimed at artistic expression.

“Basically, it’s all about music and art appreciation,” Janeen Peretin, vice principal, said of the event.

The three recording artists who will perform during the event have not been named, although the artists are expected to represent three different genres of music. The date of the event will be released later.

High School Nation is an organization created in the wake of dwindling arts education in the United States. Similarly, the John Lennon Bus, named for the famous Beatle, aims to bring musical enjoyment and experience to students nationally.

For Baldwin students, this means that they will follow an assembly schedule on the Lennon Bus day, with regular classes ending at 12:25 p.m. The last two hours of the day will be dedicated to the event.

If weather permits, students will head outside to enjoy the activities. In case of rain, administrators are prepared to move the show inside the gyms.

Baldwin was selected as one of 20 potential schools over this summer. An inquiry email was sent to Peretin by High School Nation, asking if the high school could host the event.

There are several goals for the day, according to Peretin.

“One [goal is] for all the students who are involved in music and art to know how much we really value their participation,” Peretin said. “And for all the students who have never really experienced this sort of event, this will hopefully give them the opportunity to explore the arts.”