Turning up the Volume at Miller South | Fundraiser Meets New Sound System Goal

By Marilyn Miller Paulk, Storyteller

One of the biggest challenges at the Miller South Performing Arts auditorium was an outdated sound system that cut off microphones and hindered the sound in the 1,000 seat auditorium. 

“There's been so many times in the past two years that kids’ work (example: music recitals, art show presentations, dancing) and the kids' voices were not heard because the sound system would cut out or the battery would break or the cables would rip and we were just trying to really duct tape things together.” said Rachel McCann, the school’s theater director. “The frequencies were not working appropriately. It was always the weakest area in our productions.”

McCann said she was approached by a couple of parents whose kids are very active in the school productions and said they wanted to figure out a way to improve the sound system and offered to do a fundraiser.

With a proposed $12 million dollar deficit facing the school district, each school building is allotted a limited amount of money for projects. Several schools are trying to overcome potential financial hurdles with fundraisers.

“Our kids are amazing, so anytime anybody wants to do anything for our kids, I'm like let's do it," said Regina Anderson, who is in her third year as principal of the school. “I mean, we didn't really do anything. I think I might have had a few emails that I had to answer and just helped with a couple little things, but it was all parents and community.” 

Parents Andy Shepperd and Mina Riazi took the lead, as they planned the fundraiser and delivered results in just eight weeks. They raised $13,000, and thanks to Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. of Stow, purchased a new sound system for nearly half the actual cost of $24,000. 

Shepperd manages a band his two sons are in, both Miller South students, who is a fund development person, heads the local chapter of Project Outrun, a nonprofit organization that helps pediatric cancer patients. The organization allows patients to design tennis shoes with the concept to outrun cancer. 

He is passionate about giving back to the community. As manager of the band, Shep and the Bucs, the band was asked to do a holiday concert. He offered them two options for the proceeds, to make money for themselves or for a fundraiser and donate what they make for the school. The band members all have a Miller South connection. Three are students there and one is a former student. 

“It’s such a cool give back for these kids to get on stage and utilize all of the things Miller South teaches them to help push them forward,” Sheppard said.

Musica, a music venue in Downtown Akron, donated its facility for the fundraising event.

“They were an incredible sponsor and saved us a ton of money by allowing us the space for the event,” said Shepperd. “People are looking for ways to engage and to give back, It’s on us to provide them the atmosphere for the give back. Once you show people it’s a righteous case and you place that cause in a fun environment people are ready to give.”

He said Riaz connected all the dots and made it a strong collaborative effort.

Riaz’s daughter, Tuesday, a vocalist and sixth grader at Miller South sang with the band at the fundraiser. She also acted as emcee and played host for the event.

Mina Riazi is an event organizer and Akron Public Schools employee. She is a speech therapist at Mason Community Learning Center. She also serves on the Highland Square Neighborhood Association Board and plans events for the area. She also wanted to hold a fundraiser, but when Shepperd mentioned he wanted to do one also they joined forces and planned for one fundraiser. 

At first Riazi looked into other funding efforts and concluded that it was easier to plan a fundraiser than to write a technology grant that has too many stipulations and only a 7 percent approval rate.

The goal was to get the go ahead and see what they could deliver. Parents from the PTA Board helped.

“Teachers already do so much, spending money out of pocket and showing up every day and giving all they can to the students, so we just wanted to make their jobs a little easier,” Riazi said.

 A website was created, three levels of sponsorships, art paintings were sold, caricatures were drawn, raffles were purchased and silent auctions were available. There were 150 raffle auction items and 15 silent auctions.

Miller South graduate Christian James of Akron Glass Works, designed a glass microphone and Artist Leandra Drumm, Don Drumm's daughter whose two children are Miller South alumni, designed an ornament. Both gifted their art pieces to some of the sponsors and donated extra ones for auction items. 

Most of the vendors had a Miller South connection saying the school means something to them personally as well as community wise. The cost of the soldout show was $12. Mood music was created by the piano students while the band performed as people mingled. There was a theater improv at intermission, and the raffle drawings were held after the show. An additional $4,500 with the sponsorships, auction and raffle items and drawings at the event. 

“There’s so much talent at Miller South we just wanted a sound system where microphones didn’t cut off and every child's voice could be heard from now until a very long time,” Mina Riazi said.

The new sound system was installed last week. It is a stationary sound system in the auditorium where all stage events are held and can be relocated and re- installed in another building.The theater director said it is used for art presentations and video projections, dance and music recitals. She said every student in the school benefits from the new sound system because everyone uses it. There are 414 students enrolled at Miller South. 

The debut of the new sound system to the public will be the Spring theater production of Matilda the Musical, March 12, 13, 14 at 7 P.M. each day. Tickets are $10.

Shepherd and Riazi said they made such a good team they decided to continue their fundraising efforts and make the Miller South fundraiser an annual event, with a different goal every year.