Wildwood's remarkable fifth graders have released Rising Voices, an "activist album." The students wrote, recorded, and produced an entire album of protest songs to inspire change in unjust systems. The release party at Aesthesia Studios was packed with a full house of over 300 inspired and energized people.

The evening began with students taking guests on tours around the studio and explaining hand-drawn infographic posters using math statistics to illustrate the severity and reality of the problems addressed on the album.

Each of the three classes shared original songs and poems, pleading with the audience to pay attention to global warming, adopt needy pets, become conscious consumers, and change their ways.

The evening finished with Emile Hasan Dyer, co-director of the Los Angeles Goldenbridge community choir, embracing the long history of singing in solidarity to change the world. Moms, dads, grandparents, and friends raised the roof singing: "We let the love wash over us—we let, we let it be"...

Visit www.wwrisingvoices.com for the album's downloadable songs, songbook with lyrics, poetry, and YouTube page.

The fifth grade would like their messages about animal rights, human rights and concerns for the planet to be heard far and wide.