Student benefit concert proves a smashing success

When Jack McCarthy ‘24 was in junior high, he broke his arm and soon developed acute compartment syndrome, a serious condition which threatened the loss of his arm. The doctors, nurses, and staff members at Boston Children’s Hospital offered world-class treatment and restored his arm to perfect health. 

This fall, roughly a half-dozen years later, a grateful McCarthy found a special way to say thanks. He, fellow classmate and bandmate Eli Lukens ‘24, and other Upper School students worked together to organize, promote, stage, and eventually perform in a benefit concert for the hospital attended by their enthusiastic and appreciative classmates. 

The Boston Children’s Hospital Benefit Concert was held Oct. 13 in the Hooley Courtyard between Main Building and Cahall Campus Center. The Friday evening saw cool fall temperatures, an impressive turnout, and a number of great bands and performers. 

In all, the concert raised $10,085. The funds were donated to Seacrest Studios at Boston Children’s Hospital. The multimedia studio, which opened in 2014 in collaboration with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, broadcasts on the hospital’s closed-circuit TV network just for patients and families. The media center provided great relaxation for McCarthy and his family during their stays at the hospital. 

“Eli and I couldn’t be happier with how this event turned out,” said McCarthy, who, like Lukens, is a member of the band Dirty Water Blvd. “We are so proud to be able to say we raised so much for such a great cause, and we couldn’t be more thankful for all the support we received through the whole process, especially from the student body.” 

McCarthy said he was humbled by the number of people who willingly dropped everything to help with the concert, from setting up lights to helping with the stage to running the donations tent. He thanked Assistant Head of School for Student Engagement and Well-being Jed Wartman P ‘30, Digital Media Coordinator Emmett Knox ‘04, and Upper School Theater Director Kelly Hines P ‘18, ‘19 for their help in making the night a success. 

“They played the largest roles as advisors for Eli and me during the month we spent organizing this event,” said McCarthy. 

That said, the night proved successful because of the incredible student talent onstage. The lineup included: 

• Jason Sima ‘24, Selina Wu ‘25, and Alina Tian ‘25
• Jane Richard ‘24
• Katie McCarthy ‘27
• Ashley Johnson ‘24 and Gianna Niccoli ‘24 
• Scissor Knives (Michael Sheehan ‘27, Connor Cigna ‘27, Cassia Porciatti '27, and Tenley Van Patten)
• Dirty Walter Blvd. (McCarthy, Lukens, Josette Chenaur ‘24, Ryan Noreke ‘24, and Jack Wildes) 

Of course, before any concert, you need to spread the word, and Katie Holmes ‘24 did just that with creative and colorful posters which were seen across campus prior to the Oct. 13 show. Using fine tip markers and acrylic paint pens, Holmes designed four thumbnail images to show the band but also showed the artwork to Upper School Visual Arts Department Head Anni Zukauskas P ‘28, ‘29. It was Zukauskas who suggested combining all four images into one large poster, which Holmes did.