Wharton class hosts children's sing along

Children's laughter filled Harrison Auditorium yesterday morning as more than 100 area youngsters lent their voices to the first Sing-A-Long Jamboree. Organized by a group of Wharton freshmen as part of the school's Management 100 program, the event raised funds for a scholarship to the Parent-Infant Center, a local childcare facility serving mainly University employees and residents of West Philadelphia. "We felt [the jamboree] would involve us most directly with the community," said Theodore Chung, media representative for the group of 12 students organizing the event. "We wanted something to get young kids involved in the arts. We felt there hasn't been much focus on that." Management 100 is semester-long business and leadership project is required of all first-year Wharton students. The class organized the publicity and entertainment for the event during a three-month period. Yesterday's show featured banjo player Beth Mead-Sullivan and husband-and-wife duo David and Jenny Heitler-Klevirs in their act, "Two of a Kind." "Kids won't let you get away with anything," Mead-Sullivan remarked about the demands of younger audiences. "You have to keep them engaged all the time and it's a challenge to do that." As a way of providing interesting, interactive entertainment to please even the toughest young critic, the performers combined a variety of techniques. In addition to their long repertoire of popular children's tunes and folk songs, the Heitler-Klevirs, complete with his-and-hers Cat in the Hat headgear, incorporated hand puppets and sign language into their act. For her part, Meade-Sullivan transformed the audience into performers for a time, inviting the children onto the stage to imitate their favorite animals. And if the din of barnyard sounds during the riotous rendition of "Old MacDonald" was any indication, the entertainers were a hit. With the help of corporate sponsors and sound equipment donated by the Social Planning and Events Committee, the jamboree was about to begin. "Even just seeing the kids coming in with their big smiles [is exciting]," said fellow organizer Adrienne Kardosh. "Everything's finally coming together." In addition to the money raised at the jamboree, the Parent-Infant Center scholarship fund will also receive a contribution from the Burger King at Houston Hall. The restaurant will donate every Tuesday's lunch-time profits to the center's fund for the rest of the year.