Teens Power Up Guitars To Change The World

The "Marin bubble" burst for Jacob Skaggs, forever changing his view of the world and him.

Skaggs, a Redwood High senior, brought together musical talent from several Marin County high schools for Saturday night's Concert for Casa II. Funds raised from tickets for the dinner and concert and the auction will be donated to Casa de La Esperanza, an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Skaggs and his partners in the effort had already raised $2,000 toward their $10,000 goal before the night started.

The money would be used to pay the tuition for two of the orphans to attend the University of Tijuana, as well as to buy washers and dryers for the orphanage.

"We'd also like to pay … for security, which could mean a fence, or hopefully paying someone to be on staff there as security," Skaggs said. "There's people down there who intend to do the orphanage harm and steal from the orphanage. They've pillaged the bus and really make it hard to improve the orphanage."

Skaggs first traveled to the orphanage six years ago at the urging of a friend. He had no idea what he'd find.

"I was, first of all, amazed at the level of poverty in that area of Mexico," Skaggs said. "Right next to the orphanage there, people are living in little more than cardboard boxes."

Although everyone at the concert, held at Corte Madera's Church on the Hill, knew of the serious need that brought them together, there was still time to party. After the 6 p.m. deadline for the predicted Rapture came and went without incident, the celebration kicked up a notch. Limbs freewheeled as teens danced in front of the performers on a small stage.

A singer-songwriter round started the evening, with Michael Goodrich, Michael Weinstein, Andrew Hove and Lucy Krakow taking the stage. Other performers included the Jack Straw Band, Novato High band Handshake, Stone Cold Culture, Cosmic Shenanigans (Redwood), Pook and Soul Tree, a group of Marin Academy students.

Skaggs stood in the spotlight with his bandmates in Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, named for an infamous factory fire in which several Chinese workers died.

"Music's a very, very powerful thing," Skaggs said. "It really speaks to people on a deeper level."

The auction included concert tickets and artwork, including paintings by Redwood senior Nicole Schilchting, who also volunteers at Casa de la Esperanza.