The fourth and fifth graders on the stage were dressed in bright t-shirts of green, yellow and red, with colorful swatches of African fabric tied around their waists like sarongs. Most wore African-style caps on their heads. "What school are these kids from? They are excellent," the woman next to her whispered into Dr. Heidi Barker's ear half way through the song. "Lowry Elementary," Dr. Barker answered proudly.

Thirty-five Lowry Elementary School students performed selections from their program "Dance the Dance, Drum the Drum, Tell the Tale" at the Denver Public Schools Foundation Gala, held on March 21, 2007 at the Hyatt downtown. Originally created and produced by Music Instructor Sandy Lezotte as part of the school's International Day program, the students' presentation featured a sensory experience of African colors, music and movement.

During cocktails at the Gala, which had over 1100 attendees and raised more than $1,000,000 for the DPS Foundation, the Lowry students performed Funga Alafia, a song of welcome from Liberia, Mangwani Mpulele, a Zulu song from South Africa, Kassa, a harvest dance from West Africa, and Kwaheri, an African farewell song. Teachers Melissa Fogal, Anna Kluver-Fensler, Kaela Rouse, and Jane Shannon, librarian Veva Ordonez and counselor Patricia Vaughan provided musical accompaniment on the xylophones during one number, and for some pieces, the students played drums and African bells and rattles.