Sara Bareillis is known for her number one hit "Love Song" and she made musical magic for Mattos Elementary School kids when she brought a $10,000 check for the Fremont school's music program. The money is from a contest sponsored by a soymilk company. Bareillis knows the importance of music in schools, since that's how she stared as a young girl in Eureka.
"I started playing piano when I was 6 and I took some lessons, but it was mostly because we always had music integrated into the classroom that I really got to nurture and learn that I really had a love and passion for it," said Bareillis.
Now she is encouraging a new generation.
"Music education in schools doesn't just benefit the musically inclined students, it help all students perform better in other subject areas," said Tammy Eglinton, the Mattos Elementary School principal.
That $10,000 will be put to good use. They're going to install a new sound system and use it for an afterschool band program and afterschool musical theatre.
The $10,000 is the grand prize in an online contest called "Nice Job, Mom. We Rock" won by a student's mother. She came up with tips for a healthy lifestyle.
"Involve your son with your daily activities: cooking, gardening, cleaning house," said Sandy Nevels, the contest winner.
Nevels and her son Alex also got a trip to Disneyland and saw Bareillis in concert, but they've had other payoffs from Facebook games. Her son won $1,000 for the art program.
"I just won a computer last week," said Nevels.
Let's hope some of her good luck rubs off on us and on education because music in schools can lead to a successful career, like Bareillis has proven.
