On the way to see ‘The Boss'

None of the more than 50 students that left Granite Falls Middle School Monday bound for a Bruce Springsteen concert in Greensboro were even born when his “Born In The USA” album was selling out in record stores and sending fans into a frenzy. But thanks to Mike Telesca, the business technology teacher at the school, “The Boss” has a whole new fan set of tweens and teens in Granite Falls.

In 2000, while teaching at another school, Telesca, out of his own pocket, took 54 students to a Springsteen show, and he wanted to take another group of students this year, but this time, thanks to rising ticket costs, he couldn't afford to foot the entire bill himself.

He contacted Bruce Springsteen's organization and worked out a deal. Telesca took money out of his own pocket and purchased 15 tickets, and the rest of the tickets were donated by the Springsteen organization.

The Granite Falls Parent/Teacher Organization paid for the bus trip to Greensboro and back. There was no cost to the students or the school system. Attending the concert were 52 students and eight chaperones.

When Telesca tells people about the outing, he frequently hears two questions: Do the kids even know who Bruce Springsteen is; and how do you turn a rock concert into an educational outing?

The answer to the first question is simple.

“I teach computers and as background noise through the years I've always played a lot of Bruce,” Telesca said, adding that he doesn't have to worry about the lyrics in Springsteen's songs. “So a lot of the kids knew the music.”

As for how he turns a concert into an educational experience? It's work, not just for the teachers, but for the students, too.

Students who are attending the concert stayed after school last Tuesday and Thursday, and came to school Saturday to learn about some of the themes that tied into Monday's concert.

One of the assignments was to go through Springsteen's song lyrics and find one line they could relate to.

“These kids were reading through hundreds of songs, and they didn't realize it, but they were reading. And not only were they reading, but they were reading poetry,” Telesca said. “If I had assigned kids to read 100 poems, what response would I have gotten?”

In the after-school and Saturday “classes,” students and teachers discussed the social impact of Springsteen's music and how it relates to them. They also talked about history and how it related to Springsteen's lyrics.

“We covered a lot of what he sings about,” Telesca said, adding that it's easy for students in Caldwell County to relate to the blue-collar theme in many of Springsteen's songs. “Those type of messages ring true today and rang true in the ‘80s and ‘90s. There's a realism in the songs.”

While there were a few concerns about the trip, such as the group not returning until about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Telesca said that most of the parents whose students wrote letters about why they wanted to go to the concert were excited about the opportunity - and maybe a little envious.

Thomas Eanes' son Caleb Eanes, 12, was one of the lucky students who made the trip to Greensboro. Thomas Eanes said he was excited about his son's opportunity.

“I thought it would be a good cultural experience for him. Bruce Springsteen is a legend that I listened to when I was a teenager, and the fact that my son likes that music and gets to see him live is just awesome,” he said.

Thomas Eanes said he was impressed with the way Telesca and teacher Kimberly Story made preparing for the trip educational and fun.

“As part of getting ready they've stayed after school twice and went to school for an hour and a half Saturday to discuss what they felt about the lyrics and the cultural impact. So, they've turned it into an educational experience for the kids, which I think is great,” Thomas Eanes said.

Thomas Eanes said that in addition to the things students learned in the extra class time, he hopes his son will learn something else at the concert.

“I hope that he has a lot of fun, and I hope that it is a safe trip for all of them, and I hope he has a better appreciation for different types of music,” he said.

Telesca, who on Monday morning still was hoarse from the two Springsteen concerts he attended over the weekend, wasn't at all concerned about taking that many students to a “rock” concert.

He said all of the students would be wearing matching T-shirts and be seated in a group.

“I have no concern. Having been to a lot of Springsteen concerts, it's really a family-friendly event,” Telesca said, adding that he just wanted the students to have an experience to remember.

The story about the students' trip has been spread on the Internet and is posted on one of the major Bruce Springsteen fan sites. Telesca has gotten e-mails from Athens, Greece, Nova Scotia, Canada, the Netherlands and Springsteen fans across the country praising his efforts. He appreciates the exposure, but he's just doing it for the kids.

“From this point on they're just going to have a lot of fun, and they're going to have an out-of-school type of story, one that's an unusual and a great experience,” Telesca said.

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