"He transformed my life," Wilson says of Alston. "He helped discover the music that was in me."
Now Wilson tries to do the same for others, serving as a mentor for boys and young men in the Chester Children's Chorus and as a role model at CUSA.
"I want the kids to see a different kind of male," Wilson says, "males who are interested in learning, males who like culture and art."
About 3 p.m., the students gathered in the Sunshine Room for their "All-School Sing." Playing the electronic keyboard, Alston led them in a series of spirited songs. They concluded by singing the school song, "I Am Somebody."
I am bright, I am beautiful
I am wise, I am wonderful
I am special, I am smart
Love and joy grow in my heart.
Afterward, his brow glistening, Alston confessed that, yes, at times it's exhausting - being "on" for the kids all the time, having to raise more than a million dollars a year to support both the school and the chorus.
"I do it because I can and I should and I must," he says. "Art is the thing that patches some of the holes we have in our hearts. The wounds never go away, but making music and beautiful things helps us get through the day and maybe figure out what to do and become next."
Contact staff writer Art Carey
at 610-313-8106 or acarey@phillynews.com.
