West school briefs: Robbinsdale high schools present musicals this weekend

High schools present musicals this weekendRobbinsdale Armstrong High School this weekend will open a five-performance run of its winter musical, "Annie."

Shows are at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday and March 1-2, and a free matinee for senior citizens is at 3:30 p.m. next Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Reserved seats are $6 for students and $8 for adults. Call 763-504-8852 for reservation information.

Meanwhile, Robbinsdale Cooper High School will wrap up its run of "The Wiz" with performances at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Reserved-seating tickets are $6 for students and adults over age 62 and $8 for other adults. To buy tickets or get box office information, call 763-504-8535 or e-mail chs_boxoffice@rdale.org .

60s Freedom Rider speaks at area schoolsFreedom Rider Bettie Mae Fikes will perform at several Robbinsdale School District schools on Friday, ending with a public performance from 6-8 p.m. at Forest Elementary, 6800 47th Av. N. in Crystal. The free event is open to the public.

As part of the Freedom Riders, Fikes is a celebrated icon of the 1960s civil rights movement. She has performed on stages from Carnegie Hall to the Library of Congress and at several blues festivals in between.

The award recognizes a school's long-term commitment to increasing student achievement. Fewer than 25 percent of the schools vying for the award were honored.

Besides Benilde and Orono, 19 other schools in the Midwest received the award, including Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, Marshall School in Duluth, Rosemount High School and Virginia High School.

Concert features singer Chris KozaThe Hopkins High School Orchestra will feature special musical guest Chris Koza in a concert Friday.

Koza will be performing with students through an artist-in-residency project. The Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter, who has been recording and releasing albums since 2004, performs as both a solo artist and with his band, Rogue Valley.

The concert will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Hopkins High School Auditorium, 2400 Lindbergh Drive in Minnetonka. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, and $7 for adults.

The blood drive, a partnership with Memorial Blood Centers, will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school, 1320 Mainstreet in Hopkins.

The school also will be accepting donations for post-secondary scholarships for seniors from the school's dance company and the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, which are organizing the event.

To make an appointment, go to www.mbc.org/searchdrives and enter sponsor code 3732.

Annual fundraiser to benefit districtThe Hopkins Education Foundation's annual event, Royal Bash 2013, will be held on Saturday at the Golden Valley Golf and Country Club.

The event, which raises money for programs in Hopkins schools, includes international cuisine, silent and live auctions, and dancing. Last year, more than $125,000 was raised to give to classroom grants.

Concert band presents 60th annual concertThe Edina High School Concert Band will perform its 60th annual Pops Concert, starting this weekend.

Performances will take place at 7 p.m. Friday and again on Feb. 28, March 1 and March 2 in Fick Auditorium.

This year's theme is "Once Upon a Pops." Concert Band students will perform a wide selection of musical styles, ranging from major works to pop music, light novelty music, jazz and everything in between.

Tickets are $13 for reserved seating, $10 for general admission, and $6 for students and seniors in general admission.