Summer Recruitment Program
Summer recruitment generally begins the week following the end of the public-school year. Parents and students wishing to participate must complete the Rising Stars Application and submit it, along with various supporting documents, to the Pretrial Office in the district of application. For more information on the application process, or to download the application click here.
Summer Program Information
Students must complete all of the Rising Stars Summer Recruitment Program, which is usually six to eight weeks in nature. The summer program generally includes: classroom instruction on the history of the Rising Stars, the origin of the steel pan, the types of pan, and an introduction to music that encompasses Percussion Instruments and Drumming and Conga playing skills. Students are tested to determine their knowledge and understanding of the various presentations on the above topics.
Following the classroom instructions, students are introduced to the various instruments utilized within the Orchestra. During summer instructions, the students must learn: The Virgin Islands March, The Lord’s Prayer, Bob Marley’s Reggae Medley, Feel So Good, and the current Calypso Medley. The songs that they are taught are used to build their skills on the steel pan instrument. In addition, students also participate in various sports activities, rap sessions presented by persons within the community on a myriad of subjects, field trips and beach outings. At the end of the summer program, the Orchestra holds an Open House or Concert that features the recruits performing selections that they were taught during the summer program.