Julia Zane, PALCS student and up-and-coming country singer, has been keeping very busy this summer with weekly performances around the tri-states area. She is even hosting her very first Open Mic Benefit, raising funds for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) on Saturday, July 22nd from 3 pm – 7 pm at the Red Iron Pub in the Crimson Lounge located in Springfield, PA.
Julia will be performing throughout the event and is asking for a $10.00 donation to the ADA. Details are available on Julia’s Facebook Event Page. All are welcome to join in on this family/friend night of acoustic music for a wonderful cause!
The American Diabetes Association is very important to Julia and her family, as her father and brother both have type 2 diabetes and take insulin. She wanted to get involved to help raise funds and awareness for the ADA because she has seen up close the affect the disease can have. There will be even volunteers from the ADA at the open mic benefit handing out information about diabetes and answering questions.
First enrolling in PALCS in 2015 as an 8th grader, Julia will now be going into her 10th grade year as a National Junior Honor Society member at PALCS. Previously attending a brick-and-mortar school, Julia and her family were not happy. It was not the right fit for their schedule or her personality and they needed a change. After speaking with someone who had a student at PALCS, Julia’s mother, Maureen, said they were “instantly sold on the concept and have never looked back. The PALCS experience for not only Julia but also for myself was the best decision we ever made concerning Julia’s education. Julia LOVES PALCS and is doing better than she ever did in the brick-and-mortar.”
The flexibility at PALCS allows Julia to perform in many locations at many times throughout the day. She is not held back or restricted from her daily schedule and is able to choose a schedule that works best for her and her family. As a hard worker, Julia makes sure to stay in contact with her teachers, who Maureen says, “are a different breed altogether, compared to brick-and-mortar, the overall experience has been very positive.”
Julia has been publicly performing for over three years now, though she has been singing since she was able to talk and has always had a passion for music. Country music is her favorite, hoping to one day go to Nashville. Some of her inspirations include Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Little Big Town. She plays the guitar and is self-taught. She also plays the ukulele occasionally and is teaching herself some basic chords on the piano. Julia attend the Delco Let There Be Rock School in Ridley Park, PA for vocal and song-writing lessons with her coach Melissa Daley.
Outside of music, Julia also enjoys horseback riding, working with her family’s horse carriage business, reading, hanging out with friends and getting involved in charity work in her church and community. Her favorite subject in school is English and, of course, music. She hopes to one day go to college to study music and one day fulfill her dream to sing professionally. “Julia believes in being a positive influence and hopes that she can inspire others to go after their dreams and work hard at it no matter what,” proudly said Maureen.
We would like to thank Julia and her mother Maureen for taking the time to share their story with us and wish them luck with the Open Mic Night! We are so proud of our students who give back and use their talents to help others. You can follow Julia, her music, and performances on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. You can also see and hear Maureen and Julia talking about their PALCS experience on the PALCS YouTube channel.
