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Arts & Entertainment

Over 400 at Pirate Palooza in Memory of Justin Rogers

Pirate Palooza was held on May 6th in memory of PRHS student Justin Rogers.

Pirate Palooza is usually a night for local bands to play at the Pearl River High School Auditorium.

Friday night, Palooza for Justin replaced Pirate Palooza.

Dominique Carrieri, Claire Greenwood, Christina Mahoney, and Kyle Kratzoc, organized the night as a memorial to their classmate Justin Rogers, who passed away in a car accident last year.

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"We talked with Principal (William) Furdon and he agreed to let us have the auditorium the night of Palooza," explained Carrieri, a sophomore, who went on to say the traditional Pirate Palooza was going to be lost to budget cuts.

The students paid for the decorations and parents baked snacks to sell. The musical acts came to school early the day of Palooza for Justin to practice and every act dedicated one or more numbers to Rogers.

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The Rogers family was invited and reserved front row seats as guests of honor.

"Justin and I went to school together since kindergarten," said Carrieri. "When he died, it affected us all. It was a defining moment. Doing this is helping everyone."

Band director at PRHS Brian Evans supported the students and helped backstage during the event.

"It's definitely something special for them," Evans said.

Over 400 people came out to support the concert that took place May 6 in the Pearl River High School auditorium.

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