Ken Abbey of Stars of Boulevard, a CFOX Seeds-winning band that opened for Deep Purple in Vancouver and Victoria.
Spencer Hargreaves and Noah Jordan of Redrick Sultan.
Matt Perrin, a Caparison Guitars-endorsed player with the metal bands Threat Signal and Angel Maker.
Peak Performance Project contestants Brayson Wong and Myles Philpott of Royal Oak, whose latest work was engineered and mixed by Jaret Stodola.
Alanna Pearce, the drummer in the Greg Drummond Band, which drops a CD next month.
And the list goes on.
They are all Terry Fox secondary alumni, products of the Rock School program built 15 years ago by contemporary music teacher Steve Sainas.
Then, he could see a need for such a credit course, a different tact from the traditional music class that only served a small demographic.
Sainas had worked with at-risk youth in northside Port Coquitlam, many of whom required an outlet at high school and a will to graduate.
With budget cuts looming especially hurting special education Sainas shopped around for ideas and saw what Gord Hembruff was doing at Port Moody secondary: Recording arts, soon a Rock School.
Perfect, Sainas thought.
He approached Fox's music department head, Wayne Sawyer, for the okay. Administrators got on board, too.
In its first year, 25 students signed up for the after-school guitar program.
The next year, Rock School and recording arts drew 25 and 16 students, respectively. The results were positive and motivated Sainas to do more, paying forward what his own Grade 8 music teacher, Charles Russ, had taught him.
By the following year, the program doubled in size. And their semester-end live performances, called Rock the Fox, had a buzz around them, with many people taking note of the quality.
The press picked up the story and questions were asked. Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll at high school?
Sainas didn't mind the heat. He knew the kids loved it and the parents loved that their kids stayed in school and wanted to be there.
In the third year, Grade 9 students were allowed to enroll and Sainas found he had a leadership core by then to provide mentorship to the newbies.
Rock the Fox sessions became more sophisticated and "the family" started to grow (Rock School has generated two marriages over the past 15 years).
Students from other catchments transferred to Fox, just to get a piece of the energy and build their portfolios.
Today, 200 Fox students from at-risk to honour roll take at least one contemporary music course with Sainas (he offers Rock School, recording arts, music composition, technical and guitar) and about 20% of them play or engineer or work in semi-professional or full-time music fields after grad.
Just walk into Sainas' facility, on the east side of the Riverwood Gate school, at any time for testimonies.
Grade 12 student Colton Kishi started the program five years ago at the recommendation of a family friend. He came in knowing the guitar and sax; he has since added drums, bass and backup vocals to his CV.
Liam Bruce, Grade 11, who has also been under Sainas' wing since Grade 9, said he's learned about recording, mixing and mastering as well as elements of the music business.
Best of all, "my academics have improved. I'm better at talking to people and working in groups. It has helped me remember things better."
For next week's Rock the Fox shows, he'll perform in five bands.
Rock the Fox is Sainas' way of funding his music programs. He reaps about $8,000 a year for gear and another $200 annually from the provincial government.
It's a pittance, he laments. A sorry state for music education for youth.
Sainas has always been vocal about the lack of arts funding in the B.C. public education system, much like his hero Bob Ezrin, the producer of Pink Floyd's The Wall and a co-founder of the Nimbus School of Recording and Media in Vancouver.
And, since Sainas was named the country's top music teacher of the year a recognition from MusiCounts/CARAS that took him to Hamilton, Ont., earlier this year to accept a Juno award his voice has growth much stronger on the topic and on Bill 11.
He has pleaded with School District 43 trustees to stand up to Christy Clark's government, begging them to submit a needs budget in defiance.
The phone calls and emails in support come in daily, he said.
With his bigger platform, largely due to the recent national spotlight, Sainas hopes his call to action will shine a light on the need for school music programs across the country.
"It's happening," he said. "On a big scale."
His reward, he said, is to see kids inspired and, maybe, make a living in music one day.
When they first come in, many don't have a musical background; just a desire to learn. Sainas puts emphasis on teamwork and resourcefulness. It builds their confidence and life skills. "You have to give kids a chance to succeed," he said. "That's all I'm asking."
Rock the Fox is on May 19, 20 and 21 at 7 p.m. at Terry Fox Theatre (1260 Riverwood Gate, Port Coquitlam). Tickets at $5 are available by emailing [email protected].
ROCK THE FOXLINEUP
Tuesday, May 19:
MISERY BUSINESS (Paramore)
WANDERLUST (Green Day)
HAMM GOES TO COLLEGE (Descendants)
BOB JOEL (Dylan/Joel)
THE LADYBUGGS (Jake Bugg)
PERMANENCE (Joy Division)
BLONDE REHAB (Nirvana, Tori Amos, Mother Mother, Lana del Rey)
EMO SK8R PUNKS FROM VANCITY (All Time Low)
CHECKMARK (Ed Sheeran)
HANNAH & STEAM ENGINE REFRIGERATOR (Florence and the Machine)
HOWL (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)
MEWTWO (Mew)
SHOUT AT THE DEVIL (Motley Crue)
PIZZA HUT DELIVERY (A Day To Remember)
Wednesday, May 20:
RIVERS 2.0 (Weezer)
RUNAWAYS (Joan Jett & The Runaways)
CAMP ROCK (Jonas Brothers)
BEERS N TRUCKS (Original Country)
KLOODIA (Cage The Elephant)
MAINSTREAM KASHMIR (Velvet Underground)
UNKOWN RELIGION (Hozier)
THE GRAGE (War)
SILVER LAKE (Local Natives)
FORGETTING SIR ROY MARSHALL (Zolas)
WHAT ABOUT WATER (Earth Wind & Fire)
NIGHTMARE (Alice Cooper)
Thursday, May 21:
THE DEVENDRA BONHART EXP. (Devendra Banhart)
KIDS UR MOTHER WARNED U ABOUT (Vampire Weekend)
PEPTO AT THE BISMAL (Panic! at the Disco)
BAND NAME IN PROGRESS (Originals)
SUPER EDGEY SOFT GRUNGY (Nirvana)
KELBASA SUPREME (Tenacious D)
BIG BIRDS (The Eagles)
GET DOWN ANDREW HAMM (Ed Sharpe/Hey Ocean)
HANDS REVERSED (Tokyo Police Club)
OLD THE HOBBIT (Young the Giant)
MY HEAD IS AN ANIMAL (Of Monsters & Men)
IRON CLAW (King Crimson)
HOME THE ARMLESS (Rage Against the Machine)
STRIFE (Trivium)
