Ritz Theatre concert directs full proceeds to school bus crash victims

All proceeds and donations from a benefit concert held Monday evening at the Ritz Theatre in Winter Haven, Fla., will go directly to the Polk Education Foundation. The organization will use the funds to support families affected by a fatal school bus crash that occurred on Oct. 5.

The collision involved multiple vehicles and killed 16-year-old Adinaluz Prieto Oyola, a 10th-grade student at Winter Haven High School, and 26-year-old DeShawn Smith, who was driving to work. The event, titled Winter Haven United: A Night of Hope, featured musical performances, including selections by the Winter Haven High School choir.

Vincent Miller, a former Winter Haven High School teacher and event organizer, stated that the concert aims to demonstrate community support. Miller described the evening as focused on love, hope, and inspiration, citing songs such as Stand by Me and Man in the Mirror. He emphasized the need to show affected families that the community is united and available to meet their needs.

Sherry Bryant, president of the Jewett Alumni Association, co-organized the event. Bryant noted that the tragedy is traumatic for all involved and stressed the importance of families knowing they have a support network. Local resident Laura Robinson, who described the crash as putting her in disbelief, said the event was a way for community members to ease the pain of the victims' families.

Tracy Porter, senior director of the Polk Education Foundation, explained that the organization is coordinating with Winter Haven High School leadership, district officials, and counselors. This collaboration aims to identify specific needs of the affected families. The foundation will manage the distribution of funds raised at the Ritz Theatre.

Organizers indicated that any money raised beyond the immediate needs of the affected families will be directed toward scholarships. These scholarships are designated for students who were riding the bus on the day of the collision. The funds will remain with the foundation for this specific educational purpose.

The concert took place at the Ritz Theatre on Monday. The event brought together residents and local school groups to channel financial resources to the families impacted by the Oct. 5 accident. The Polk Education Foundation will continue to work with school administrators to determine how the raised funds are best utilized for family support and student scholarships.