Former Cherry Students Share Great Music and Uplifting Messages as High School Singing Group

When their eyes weren’t wide with wonder, the Cherry Avenue students were clapping to the beat, thanks to a visit from The Royal Four. The a capella group, comprised of former Cherry students—High School Juniors: Hunter Caiazzo, Aidan DeVerna, and Evan Powers and Sophomore Kyle Finn—came to their elementary school Alma Mater to perform songs. In addition, each member highlighted for the younger children a positive message about friendship, hard work, perseverance, and believing in your dreams.

The High School Students began the concert by introducing themselves through a song familiar to the children, Big Red Car by the Wiggles.

Hunter Caiazzo followed the first performance by explaining how they came together as a singing group. Since their elementary school days at Cherry, Hunter and Aidan shared a genuine love for music, but loving to sing wasn’t enough to become a band, they found, especially because real life obligations got in the way of regularly performing.  Still, inspired by Jersey Boys, they continued to squeeze in opportunities to perform together. Recently, in July 2019, they met their idol from the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, who advised and inspired them to persevere. The most famous Jersey Boy “gave us a bunch of tips,” Hunter explained, “and we took all those tips and we started working very hard…so what we want to bring to you guys today is:  work as hard as you can for whatever you want to achieve, because hard work pays off. I know it’s cliché and everything, but it’s true and we wouldn’t be here right now if that wasn’t so.”

Continuing their performance, The Royal Four called up four Cherry Avenue students to the stage to play some unusual instruments—a  “boom-whacker,” a banana, a tambourine, and a wood cabasa—as accompaniment to their charming rendition of the doo-wop song Come and Go with Me.

Before their next song Sherry Baby—lyrics modified to Cherry Baby—Aidan DeVerna spoke about friendship—“sticking together and working together,” and how they each met in the first few grades at Cherry Avenue. “We met when we were about your ages, guys, and we’ve been friends all the way up through High School….People may tell you, ‘you’re not gonna be friends in High School,’ but don’t listen to them—because we obviously proved that wrong here. We have such a tight bond and we’ve always had since we were little. And that’s why we’re here to show you that…and that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself.”

“The most important thing we want you to know,” said Kyle Finn when it was his turn to address the students, “is never give up on your dreams—because this,” Kyle gestured toward his fellow performers, “is our dream and we are having a lot of fun doing it….Whether you want to play sports, sing, play an instrument—whatever you want to do—stick with it. Never give up.”

After The Royal Four performed a favorite from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Come and Get Your Love, the High School students fielded questions from the curious and enthused elementary students.  Closing the entertaining assembly, Cherry Avenue Principal, Dr. Lisa Ihne thanked her former students she had known as fourth and fifth graders when she started as Principal at Cherry. She told her current students, “Although we enjoyed the music—that was wonderful—their messages are even more important. …These four young men came over from the High School this morning. They took time away from their own learning to share their talents with us and we are very grateful for them.”

The awe-inspired Cherry Avenue students and the High School students’ proud former teachers gave The Royal Four resounding applause and praised them for their amazing talents and positivity.

To view video excerpts from their performance click on This Royal Four Video Link

When their eyes weren’t wide with wonder, the Cherry Avenue students were clapping to the beat, thanks to a visit from The Royal Four. The a capella group, comprised of former Cherry students—High School Juniors: Hunter Caiazzo, Aidan DeVerna, and Evan Powers and Sophomore Kyle Finn—came to their elementary school Alma Mater to perform songs. In addition, each member highlighted for the younger children a positive message about friendship, hard work, perseverance, and believing in your dreams.

The High School Students began the concert by introducing themselves through a song familiar to the children, Big Red Car by the Wiggles.

Hunter Caiazzo followed the first performance by explaining how they came together as a singing group. Since their elementary school days at Cherry, Hunter and Aidan shared a genuine love for music, but loving to sing wasn’t enough to become a band, they found, especially because real life obligations got in the way of regularly performing.  Still, inspired by Jersey Boys, they continued to squeeze in opportunities to perform together. Recently, in July 2019, they met their idol from the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, who advised and inspired them to persevere. The most famous Jersey Boy “gave us a bunch of tips,” Hunter explained, “and we took all those tips and we started working very hard…so what we want to bring to you guys today is:  work as hard as you can for whatever you want to achieve, because hard work pays off. I know it’s cliché and everything, but it’s true and we wouldn’t be here right now if that wasn’t so.”

Continuing their performance, The Royal Four called up four Cherry Avenue students to the stage to play some unusual instruments—a  “boom-whacker,” a banana, a tambourine, and a wood cabasa—as accompaniment to their charming rendition of the doo-wop song Come and Go with Me.

Before their next song Sherry Baby—lyrics modified to Cherry Baby—Aidan DeVerna spoke about friendship—“sticking together and working together,” and how they each met in the first few grades at Cherry Avenue. “We met when we were about your ages, guys, and we’ve been friends all the way up through High School….People may tell you, ‘you’re not gonna be friends in High School,’ but don’t listen to them—because we obviously proved that wrong here. We have such a tight bond and we’ve always had since we were little. And that’s why we’re here to show you that…and that anything is possible, as long as you believe in yourself.”

“The most important thing we want you to know,” said Kyle Finn when it was his turn to address the students, “is never give up on your dreams—because this,” Kyle gestured toward his fellow performers, “is our dream and we are having a lot of fun doing it….Whether you want to play sports, sing, play an instrument—whatever you want to do—stick with it. Never give up.”

After The Royal Four performed a favorite from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Come and Get Your Love, the High School students fielded questions from the curious and enthused elementary students.  Closing the entertaining assembly, Cherry Avenue Principal, Dr. Lisa Ihne thanked her former students she had known as fourth and fifth graders when she started as Principal at Cherry. She told her current students, “Although we enjoyed the music—that was wonderful—their messages are even more important. …These four young men came over from the High School this morning. They took time away from their own learning to share their talents with us and we are very grateful for them.”

The awe-inspired Cherry Avenue students and the High School students’ proud former teachers gave The Royal Four resounding applause and praised them for their amazing talents and positivity.

To view video excerpts from their performance click on This Royal Four Video Link