Mercer Teen Tours Country With Band To Raise Funds For Suicide Prevention

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — A 16-year-old student of School of rock Princeton, recently completed a tour with an ensemble to raise awareness on teen suicide.

Dean Svecz of Hamilton Township is a vocal student at School of Rock Princeton, located in Lawrence Township.

He was a member of the School of Rock AllStars, a touring ensemble of some of the top teen musicians from School of Rock franchises from across the country.

Svecz and his AllStars bandmates performed at venues across four midwestern states from July 31 through Aug. 5 to support mental health awareness as well as raise funds for the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS).

“Ever since I learned about the AllStars, I dreamed of becoming one. To travel as a band on tour is a dream come true,” Svecz told Patch. “To be a part of raising contributions for a great cause makes it even more worthwhile.”

Being a member of the AllStars represents the highest level of achievement for School of Rock students. Fewer than 1 percent of 62,000 students from across the country are selected to join the ensemble.

And being on tour with the ensemble was a great experience for Svecz as it brought him “a professional experience of working with a team of exceptional teen musicians.”

The ensemble traveled on a tour bus, did publicity, and starred in nightly performances at venues like Zanzabar in Louisville, KY; Old Rock House in St. Louis, MO; Reggie’s Rock Club and the Lollapalooza Fest in Chicago; Fitzgerald's Night Club in Berwyn, IL; and Hi-Fi Annex in Indianapolis, IN.

“The entire team and staff are so dedicated. It's fun, energetic and everyone wants to create great performances with a mission to raise awareness of the importance of preventing teen suicide,” Svecz said.

A portion of the ticket sales and donations that are collected during the School of Rock AllStars tour will support SPTS, which is dedicated to reducing the stigma around discussing suicide and empowering teens, parents, and educators with the skills needed to help youths in crisis.

Although juggling school and a passion for music can be tough, Svecz is taking it in his stride.

“When you do something you're passionate about, you make the time for it. School work is always the first priority,” Svecz said. “I plan to go to college to study music production and see where my musical journey leads me.”

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