Telethon Friday Night Showcases Talent in Novato Schools

Showcasing local aptitude in the arts … that’s what the “Novato Grows Talent” Telethon is all about.

The other key goal? Raising $100,000 so those arts can continue to be taught at campuses despite this ominous time of budget cutbacks in schools.

School Fuel, a nonprofit that supports public schools in Novato, is bringing the third annual installment to on Friday night between 7-10 p.m., and kids from kindergarten through senior year in high school will sing, dance, play music, perform in snippets of musicals and plays, show their computer animation and other arts-related skills.

“It’s totally fun. I absolutely love this,” said event founder and chairwoman  MJ Lonson, the PTSA president at and a School Fuel board member. “For me it’s almost like having a my own private concert and drama performance. I feel so fortunate to live in a place where the community works together to make sure these skills are being taught in our schools. The great thing about the telethon is that you can see the progression of the performances from the kindergartners to the high school seniors. It’s amazing.”

Lonson estimated that hundreds of kids from the school district will be shown and that the number is well into the thousands over the course of the telethon’s three-year history.

Marty Dunn will serve as emcee in a production brought to viewers by Rick Tucker, Dave Fix, Maggie Baxter and other folks behind the scenes.

Performers — plus some academic achievers — from 14 public schools will be shown on Comcast channels 26, 27 and 30 starting at 7 p.m. and the telethon will be rebroadcast throughout the remainder of the school year and summer. Pledge messages will be recorded and played between segments.

Because of all the challenges related to live television, the telethon will have taped segments of the kids doing their thing.

The segments include a wide array of performances, including elementary school plays, band and choir performances, shots of visual arts works, an overview of the U.S. Air Force Junior ROTC program at Novato High, an original song from the kids at San Ramon School and a clip of Marin County Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke reading a Dr. Seuss book to kids at Olive School.

The telethon funds go toward arts funding at NUSD schools. Lonson said School Fuel traditionally has funded an elementary teacher position and sections of arts instruction at the middle schools and high schools.

“Kids need the arts; they need a well-rounded education,” Lonson said. “So it’s a pleasure to do this an show how totally engaged they are in what they’re doing. It’s fabulous to see the kids’ faces. It’s another reason for kids to be involved and love going to school. It’s a nice outlet.”

A phone answering team will be there live Friday night to collect donations to School Fuel, and subsequent rebroadcasts will include other ways for viewers to contribute.

Those interesting in helping can either call an eager operator during the telethon Friday night or mail checks to School Fuel, 448 Ignacio Blvd. $410, Novato, CA 94949. To learn more, log onto novatoschoolfuel.org.