Through Our Eyes
On Friday, May 1st, seven schools became one stage. The United Charter High Schools Arts Showcase brought together student artists, performers, and storytellers from across our network for an evening of creativity, courage, and community. From gallery walls to live performances, our scholars showed up and showed out — expressing their identities, their talent, and their vision for the world, through their own eyes. Thank you to every student, teacher, family member, and guest who made the evening unforgettable.
The Art Walk — As It Happened
The Interchurch Center came alive the moment the doors opened. United Charter students from across the network moved through the gallery at their own pace — pausing in front of paintings, leaning in to examine sculptures, pointing out details to friends with wide eyes and wider smiles. The work on display spanned every medium imaginable: paintings, drawings, sculptures, yarn art, digital installations, and interactive pieces that invited you to engage, not just observe. Light chatter and laughter filled the room as students and staff moved through the space together — and for many, this was the first time scholars from different UCHS schools were meeting face to face, swapping stories about their schools, their teachers, their lives. As Dr. Palmore's remarks approached, the energy in the room shifted. The chatter grew warmer, the anticipation building. When he took the floor, he didn't just welcome the crowd — he celebrated every person who touched the showcase, from the artists to the educators to the families in the room. He spoke honestly about art's role in his own life: how it gave him an escape, taught him to open up, and gave him the confidence to speak in front of crowds. It was a moment that felt less like a speech and more like a gift.
The Performances
The chapel performances carried their own energy — three opening musical acts that couldn't have been more different from one another, and that was exactly the point. Kyla Simon and Praise Ayodele kicked things off with Eyes Forward — a performance that was bright, fun, and instantly welcoming. Angalie Mojica, backed by Mike Alfieri on drums and Milo Pietarinen on bass, followed with Different Too — a darker, more emotional set that drew the room in close. Then Cusatti Yaisell took the stage with Risk It All, and the crowd responded — it was raw, powerful, and the clear fan favorite of the evening. The HUM II Theatre Class Monologues brought a different kind of electricity. Scene after scene, performers stepped into characters and stories that ranged from Peter Pan to Langston Hughes — each one carrying its own message, its own theme, its own weight. Captivating and entertaining in equal measure. The energy shifted again when the JFK Lightning Dance Team from AMS hit the floor, followed by the United Charter High School Steppers — scholars from AMS III and HUM IV — who brought the house down with a joint performance that had the whole room on their feet. Then came a standout solo moment: Nathaniel Pass from AMS IV took the stage and delivered Isn't She Lovely and Lift Every Voice and Sing back to back — a performance that stopped the room and reminded everyone exactly why live music matters. The evening closed with the Faculty Jazz Trio — Rocco Dapice on piano, Mike Alfieri on drums, and Michael Feinberg on bass — performing three classics: Miles Davis' Milestones, Tadd Dameron's Lady Bird, and a closing rendition of Michael Jackson's Human Nature. It was the perfect note to end on — smooth, soulful, and unhurried. A room full of people who didn't want the night to be over.
Support Our Scholars
Friday night didn't happen by accident. It happened because of dedicated teachers, supportive families, and a community that believes young people deserve space to create, express, and grow. If the evening moved you, consider making a gift to United Charter High Schools. Your support helps make more moments like these possible.
Video Recordings
CEO WELCOME
INTERVIEWS
FULL SHOW RECORDING
FULL GALLERY (Uploaded Soon)
None of this gets captured without the people behind the camera. A huge shoutout to our AMS IV student media team who worked the room all night to make sure every moment was documented — Binta Barrie, who captured the night through photography; Anuoluwapo Joju, who brought the warmth of polaroid photography to life; Cayden Touzin, who kept the camera rolling as our videographer; Koreen Melbourne, who reported live from the floor; and Hadiatoulaye Diallo, who served as student director and writer, shaping the story from the ground up. And a special shoutout to Dejuan Lewis from AMS, whose photography work from the evening is featured in its own gallery (see below). These scholars weren't just attending the Arts Showcase — they were telling it.
Credits:
United Charter High Schools · People · Purpose · Progress www.UnitedCharter.org