get to know your peers, they may need you..

Students of any age!
Get to know your peers.
You may never know when you'll be called to assist them!

A great example are those who know Barack and Mechelle Obama!

Here's an article you might enjoy.

Many music greats shuffled through Chicago schools
Alumnus compiles mix on iTunes to celebrate history, diversity of talent
By Carlos Sadovi | Tribune reporter
December 5, 2008


Imagine being a Chicago Public Schools student and having Rickie Lee Jones, the Staple Singers or Bo Diddley belting out songs alongside you at a school assembly?

Boasting musicians that also include Benny "King of Swing" Goodman and mega-Grammy Award winning rapper Kanye West, city schools alumni have put a major stamp on popular music during this century and last.

The district is trying to capitalize on these musical legacies by setting up an iTunes playlist spotlighting 53 songs by musicians who attended Chicago schools at one time or another during their lives.

Brad Harbaugh said he came up with the idea last spring after launching an alumni Web site—cpsalumni.org—and noting all of the artists on the district's "honor roll."

Chicago's musical soul Photos "I was struck by the number of famous musicians that we had who really changed the landscape of music," said Harbaugh, the site's editor.

Like any other registered iTunes user, Harbaugh cobbled together a playlist featuring music from Chicago schools alumni. It's accessible through the alumni site (cpsalumni.org/music) or iTunes under the iMix category. iTunes users have to pay for each of the songs, but Harbaugh said the district isn't seeing a penny of it. Instead, the district is getting attention by bragging about the number of musicians who have graced its halls over the years.

The playlist spans the decades, including "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" by Dunbar High School's Lou Rawls, "Renegade" by South Side rockers Styx, "I Feel for You" by Kenwood Academy's Chaka Khan and "Hey Mama" by West.

Harbaugh said he intended the project as a playful challenge to other urban school districts like Los Angeles and New York City, thinking those districts also might want to compile songs from their famous former students. He said he believes Chicago's district is the first to do so.

"What I take out of this is that from the Chicago Public Schools you can go anywhere and do anything," Harbaugh said. "We want students today and people today to know that the sky is the limit."

Along with Goodman, who attended Harrison High School and Shepard Elementary, and West, who attended Vanderpoel Elementary, the playlist includes soul great Sam Cooke, a Phillips High School alum. His song "A Change is Gonna Come" has been called an unofficial anthem of President-elect Barack Obama's campaign.

Harbaugh said he was most surprised to find that music great Quincy Jones had attended Raymond Elementary before moving to Seattle and starting his music career. Jones has two songs in the mix.

Not included on the list? Rap stars Twista, Rhymefest and Da Brat—all Chicago schools alumni.

"We were unable to find a clean version of songs we wanted to include," Harbaugh said.

csadovi@tribune.com