Erik White

If you know Eli, you know he’s rarely standing still. He’s usually on a soccer field, running track, playing piano, or singing with his high school choir. But this spring, choir could take him somewhere we never imagined he’d have the opportunity to perform: Carnegie Hall. Eli and his Francis Howell Central High School choir have the opportunity to travel to New York City in April, for five days of rehearsals, music, and experiences they’ll probably remember for the rest of their lives. And on April 19, after several days of rehearsals, Eli will walk into Carnegie Hall for a soundcheck and then take the stage that evening for a Festival Concert Performance alongside the New York City Chamber Orchestra and professional soloists. That’s one of those sentences we still can’t quite believe we’re writing about our kid. When we first heard about the trip, our reaction was pretty simple: Eli has to do this. Then we found out the cost. That’s a lot for our family to absorb on short notice. We don’t love asking people for money. Honestly, creating a GoFundMe wasn’t our first instinct. But we also realized that we’d rather swallow a little pride and ask for help than someday tell Eli that he missed the chance to sing at Carnegie Hall because we couldn’t make the numbers work. So… here we are. The five-day trip includes travel to New York, hotel accommodations, transportation in the city, choir rehearsals, the Carnegie Hall festival and performance, a Broadway show, and other experiences around New York City. The students will also visit places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Times Square and get a little time to experience the city together. For Eli, though, the heart of this trip is April 19. He gets to sing at Carnegie Hall. We’re hoping our friends, family, and everyone else who has watched this kid grow can help us get him onto that stage. We’re not expecting anyone to fund this trip for us. If a bunch of people throw in $5, $10, $20 or whatever they’re comfortable with, those small gifts can turn into something pretty incredible. And if donating isn’t something you can do right now, sharing this fundraiser helps too. Eli works incredibly hard at the things he loves. We’ve watched him put in the hours on the soccer field, on the track, practicing his piano, and with his choir. As his parents, we want to do everything we can to make sure that when an opportunity like this comes along, he gets to take it. There are some experiences you get another shot at. Being 16 years old and singing on the Carnegie Hall stage with your high school choir probably isn’t one of them. Thank you for helping us give Eli the chance to make a memory he’ll carry with him for the rest of his life. And come April, somebody in New York better get us a picture of this kid standing in front of Carnegie Hall. ❤️ — Eric & Jessie