KidWorks Blog
As the pews filled up at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach this past weekend, over 1,200 worshipers were in for a delightful surprise.
They were about to enjoy a Sunday concert and Sunday worship service featuring students from KidWorks’ Avanti program, who joined with Brandon Muchow, St. Andrew’s Minister of Modern Worship & Production, and several other professional studio musicians.
It all came together thanks to the efforts of KidWorks’ volunteer Joe Cristina, who began a KidWorks music program in 2012 called Avanti Music. In Joe, the students learn from a professional musician with 37 years of experience in composition, arranging, orchestration and production.
“The ‘KidWorks/Avanti Music Concert’ was a bilingual presentation, and therefore was a true bridge-builder since residents from Newport Beach and Santa Ana worshipped together,” Joe says.
There are 18 KidWorks students currently participating in the Avanti program. Those who performed at the St. Andrews concert included Lilian Ramirez (vocals) Liliana Ledezma (vocals and flute), Melisa Luis (piano), Julie Cons (violin) and Luis Lopez (guitar).
The second event was held in the church chapel, and was equally well received. Lilian Ramirez joined Brandon Muchow and Hector Rivera on vocals. Emily Barrios, 12-years-old, recently joined Avanti, and she joined in on percussion and vocals.
David Benavides, Executive Director, KidWorks & Councilmember, City of Santa Ana, also spoke to the congregation, sharing KidWorks’ story.
Dan Wendell, Minister of Missions & Outreach at St. Andrews says he is delighted with the result: “Having the students up front, leading through worship was a beautiful example of extending the family and valuing them as part of our community. I was particularly encouraged to learn that as a result of Avanti’s work, Lilian Ramirez, one of the vocalists, will be leaving for San Francisco State University to study music in just a few weeks. The ministry is changing lives."
Lilian and our Avanti students are equally grateful to Joe and the staff at St. Andrews for providing them with such a special opportunity to perform.
"I couldn't get this experience anywhere else than KidWorks and Avanti,” she says.
Knowing Joe’s commitment to Avanti and our students, we can’t help but say, “Encore!” to him and “Bravo!” to St. Andrews for providing such an extraordinary opportunity.
“I just wanted to celebrate a great collaboration between Gather and Send in featuring the students of Avanti/Kidworks at the 5:30 and 11:11 services. Having the students up front, leading through worship was a beautiful example of extending the family and valuing them as part of our community. I was particularly encouraged to learn that as a result of Avanti’s work, one of the vocalists will be leaving for San Francisco State to study music in just a few weeks. The ministry is changing lives.”
By Glenn Leibowitz, Volunteer Content Writer
With three of her six children currently learning how to play a musical instrument, Karina Torres knows the importance of perseverance and determination.
She puts that philosophy to work at KidWorks, where this mom has volunteered for over seven years.
“Like with a musical piece, a plan is only successful if it is well thought out and you work really hard to make it the best it can be,” Karina says. Then she smiles and adds, “I don’t like to just sit around, and if something needs to get done, I don’t need to be asked; I jump in!”
Sonia Rios-Guzman, our Parent Engagement Coordinator, says Karina is definitely a woman of action.
“Even though it might seem like Karina’s plate is full with six children, she still manages to volunteer and support KidWorks in so many ways,” Sonia says. “And she does all of this while fully supporting her children in their educations.”
One of the ways Karina helps KidWorks is with our “Love & Music” program for aspiring musicians. Karina is proud that three of her children are in the program: Evelyn, 13, and Ashley, eight, who are both learning the violin and Jesse, 10, who is mastering the flute.
Karina volunteers in many other ways at KidWorks. She is part of our Parent Advisory Council, has helped with neighborhood clean up days and both our Myrtle and Townsend Street Resource fairs. For the most recent Myrtle Street Fair, she helped make over 150 ham and cheese sandwiches that were given out for free to those from the surrounding neighborhoods who attended.
Karina enrolled her daughter, Evelyn, in our after school programs six years ago when Evelyn was still in elementary school.
“KidWorks is not like other after-school programs, I see it as the best of all,” Karina says. Then she adds with a grin, “On the very first day Evelyn started at KidWorks, I told her, ‘Get used to it. You are going to be there until you graduate from high school."
Recently, her 10-year-old Jesse gratefully told her, “Mom, you are always around for us.”
“Kids don’t always say it out loud, but it was his way of saying ‘thank you’,” Karina says.
Karina, we also can’t say “thank you” enough for all you do for our students and the community!
By Glenn Leibowtiz, Volunteer Content Writer
