Before the decision was made to move the Concert to the Old Theatre, the first five events were held in the school auditorium (from 2009 onward). The audience grew year by year, and the performers needed a professional stage because their performances were “bursting” out of the auditorium, while their standard deserved a better setting, just as the audience deserved more comfortable conditions. And so the school event dedicated to the parents and friends of the school, initially intended to showcase the artistic talents of the students of I LO, became a “brand” of I LO.
As the event moved to the Theatre stage, its format also expanded. It was decided that such a “magical” February evening could be used not only for great entertainment, but also to help others. A café and art exhibitions were added, and for several years now there have also been auctions of various items made by students and teachers or donated by the school’s many friends. It turned out that not only the items, but also the teachers’ passions, proved extremely popular. Bidding for tango lessons with a mathematics teacher, flamenco with an English teacher, sewing lessons with a geography teacher or training with a priest—now that was something!
What joy there was—and still is—when, in this way, over the past five years it was possible to help, at least in part, in the difficult health situations of little Julka, Michasia, Zosia, and our graduates: Tomek and Adam.
The “Valentine’s Concert” is an incredible energy made up of the many talents of the students of I LO, from vocal and musical talents to dance and even illusionist performances. It also involves organizing the entire undertaking: the stage design, graphic presentation, preparation of auction items and, finally, the sound system. Here, the school could always count on the support of specialists from the Youth Cultural Centre, an institution that kindly made the Theatre available for the “school event.”
Managing so many performers, including soloists and bands, as well as students from other schools appearing as guests, is the achievement of the Student Council, which oversees the entire event, along with the support and experience of teachers for whom the Concert is just as important as their daily educational work. And although, over the years, generations of talented students have changed, without the help of Ms Irmina Nowak (a Polish teacher and the Student Council’s supervisor since September 2017), previously Ms Katarzyna Cieślak-Ostrowska (an English teacher and Student Council supervisor from 2012 to 2017), and Mr Sławomir Zimniak (a computer science teacher and musician), it would not have been possible.
And so, over the course of several years, an event was created that became a permanent part not only of the history of I LO, but also of the city and county, and in the memories of many generations of graduates—who often return as performers—as an unforgettable experience in which the talent and wonderful energy of the school community were and are transformed into tangible help.