A performance from The Velcro Pygmies Thursday, March 20, at Holly Pond High School will be the culmination of a creative educational program, Reach and Teach, which aims to “educate through experience.”

The Reach and Teach Concert Tour program allows students to participate in real-world aspects of the live music and entertainment industry by delivering a full-fledged concert on campus.

Over the past several months, HPHS students enrolled in the Events Planning course have spent their class-time designing promotional flyers, obtained sponsorships, created an event budget and handled artist relationships.

“The truth is, students do not learn effectively in traditional classroom settings, which typically involve memorization, recalling facts and hypothetical situations that do no provide tangible results,” a press release from Reach and Teach said. “This real-world experience allows students to gain knowledge in budgeting, logistics, marketing and much more, while also developing essential life skills such as communication, problem solving and teamwork.”

HPHS Principal Nate Ayers said he almost immediately witnessing the growing excitement from parents and community members with college memories of watching The Velcro Pygmies perform.

Ayers said guests could expect the same level of 80’s rock and roll energy the band has become known for but made it clear that some of the wilder antics fans may remember would not be taking place during the HPHS performance.

“Yea, it’s the same band, the same people but it’s obviously not going to be the exact same show,” Ayers said. “I mean, they are a rock band, they do rock band things. They will bring as much as they can possibly bring while still staying within the understanding that this school thing.”

The Pygmies are set to take the stage at 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon. A $3 general admission ticket will allow entry into the event or a $10 V.I.P. ticket can be purchased to ensure a spot closer to the stage and interactions with the band.