Country recording artist Aaron Pritchett will be singing in Coaldale to benefit a local school program.

“We are very excited,” said R.I. Baker Middle School vice-principal Broc Higginson.
The school will be hosting the Pritchett concert with local country singer Trevor Panczak booked as the opening act. Higginson said the school will receive a percentage of the revenue from both the concert and concessions with all the funds going to the school’s marine biology program.
The concert is set for Saturday, June 12 at the school at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are available at the school at $20 for adults and $15 for students 12 and under.
The opportunity to book Pritchett was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Higginson said the school happened to get a fax about the potential for a fundraising concert at the same time the school was looking for a way to raise funds for a marine biology trip.
“I guess it was meant to be.”
If the concert sells out the school has the potential to generate about $4,000 on the evening. Higginson said it will cost about $43,000 to send 42 students and five chaperons on a marine biology trip which ties in with the course now offered at the school.
He said the school hopes to do the trip every two years so all of the Grade 7 and 8 students taking the course have the opportunity to make the trip.
“We had a huge response from kids who wanted to go.”
This year 10 students were able to join the Champion school on their marine biology trip.
“They learn things they can never learn in a textbook.”
The students learn everything they can back in the classroom but the trip at sea allows them to put their knowledge in to practise. They serve as members of the crew and have assignments every day they are at sea, including everything from helping to navigate to cooking meals.
“They could actually be steering the ship. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”