Alton's grade 5 students wow Mississauga audience
It's not about your looks. It's not about your money. It's all about the way

You treat me, honey.

That's the powerful message the grade 5 students from Alton Public School shared with a capacity audience at the Mississauga Living Arts Centre recently.

The students wrote all the lyrics for the song, The Way You Treat Me, under the direction of Canadian singer/songwriter Gregg Lawless who composed the music. Their live performance, backed by the Lawless four-piece band, was the final one of the night and brought down the house with its upbeat, rock 'n roll style and high energy presentation.

Alton was one of 11 schools selected to take part in the Literacy and Values Through Music project organized by the Peel District School Board.

Since October, these classes have explored issues of equality, such as racism, sexism and classism. The students used drama, arts, reading, writing, and music to express their feelings about what it means to treat all people in our society equally and fairly. Each class wrote and practised its own song for the April 25 gala performance.

Alton students wrote their song about the issue of classism. "Classism means treating people differently because of the amount of money they have,'' said student MC Jade Langille.

"That's not right,'' agreed co-presenter Jack Grant. "It's not your clothes or your car or your money that matters. It's who you are!"

"People take things for granted," the students sang. "That's my observation;

Things like food, and shelter

And getting an education."

These grade 5 students say they have learned a lot about appreciating what they already have. They loved working with professional musician Gregg Lawless to write lyrics that "really rock."

The students also had the opportunity to be coached by two graduating students from Mayfield's School of the Performing Arts. Lydia Persaud and Charlotte Scanlon conducted weekly classes, teaching students how to warm-up, project and blend their voices, and perform for an audience.

You could see, and hear, it all come together when Alton students rocked on stage with the live band and showed what it takes to put their message to music.

I don't want to be judged by My stuff or my money I want to be judged by My personality!