We Day Bringing More Students, New Look To The X
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's a field trip like no other -- a day-long concert at the Xcel Energy Center filled with pop stars and nationally-known speakers.
We're talking about We Day.
On Tuesday, about 18,000 students from across Minnesota will fill the X to celebrate their commitment to volunteer work.
You can't buy a ticket to We Day, you have to earn it.
We Day started in Canada and has now made its way into 13 cities, in three countries.
The high-energy, high-tech concert is designed to reward students for their community service and inspire them to do even more.
"We are now at 200,000 kids, K-12, around Minnesota who are engaged in our program," said Zoe Stern, who is with the Minnesota office of We Day.
Now in its third year in Minnesota, We Day has grown from 400 schools participating to more than 550.
Students are spending time helping others, both locally and globally, often with food drives.
"Last year on Halloween, they donated 180,000 pounds of food. They are doing walks for water. They are walking around their neighborhoods raising awareness for clean water projects overseas. They are doing penny drives to collect money for charities they believe in," Stern said.
This year's theme is all about shifting the focus from "me to we."
And students who are returning will find a new look -- a 360-degree center stage, creating a theater-in-the-round effect.
"When you are up in the bowl, usually you feel very far away from the stage," said Lina Beaudin, the WE Day executive producer. "Now you feel like you can reach out and touch the speakers or the band. The love is happening all around."
We watched the Kenyan Boys Choir rehearse on stage with Canadian hip hop artist JRDN.
Joining them will be Nico and Vinz, Ciara, Natalie LaRose as well as Darren Criss.
It's music intertwined with a message.
"It's really all about teaching kids to be philanthropists, teaching them about service, teaching them about giving back," Stern said.
The speakers who will be part of the event include Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former President Bill Clinton, who now heads the family's foundation.
There'll also be Dr. Mae Jemison, a retired astronaut who was the first woman of color in space, and Henry Winkler, also known as the Fonz from "Happy Days."
The founders of We Day, Craig and Marc Kielburger, will be there, too.
For a full list of the speakers and performers, click here.