When many Cherry Hill High School East students think of Coffeehouse, perhaps their initial thought is of the $10 ticket to endless coffee and tea, but in reality, it is so much more than that; every year, Coffeehouse brings light to a new, meaningful cause that impacts people in some way, shape, or form. This year, Coffeehouse is bringing awareness to autism. 

Jared Silverstein, the director of Puzzle Pieces Squared (P Squared), is helping East raise awareness and attention to Autism. East will be putting on a Wizard of Oz-themed performance, which aligns perfectly with the cause, since the Wizard of Oz celebrates everyone’s differences and talents, and how they come together to make everyone unique and special.

This cause is a very personal one to Silverstein, who founded the company P Squared originally to break glass ceilings for his autistic twins. He came up with this foundation so that no family could ever feel the way that he and his family did.

“We didn’t listen to any limitations or being told what my kids could or could not do,” said Silverstein. “However, we dealt with the insurance companies, and we dealt with the schools and the different types of things that our children would need, and we were told no. And we kind of felt stuck, and I didn’t want other families in our area, in the tri-state community, to have to deal with what we dealt with.”

Silverstein expressed that by helping local families, you can see the impact, and your name as a company spreads. By helping cover for what insurance can’t, they are helping other families with autistic children with things they may be struggling to supply.

“When you’re helping out a lot of local families, that’s your basic neighbor. So our name’s getting out there that we’re doing all these different services to help, you know, because what we really do in actuality is we foot the bill for what people can’t afford or what insurance says you shouldn’t have.”

Ms. Lausi, one of the chairpeople of Coffeehouse, expressed that each Coffeehouse is special because it involves both D Wing and everyday students and their families.

“Every Coffeehouse is special because the students all put their own stamp on it,” said Lausi.  “East Singers chooses not only the charity, but they also choose a theme. We have had hundreds of people from the community attend Coffeehouse with their families every year.”

Coffeehouse is about so much more than enjoying endless coffee and tea with friends and enjoying unique performances; it’s about finding a meaningful cause to contribute to while putting on a spectacular show for all students and their families to enjoy.

Coffeehouse at Cherry Hill High School East was held on Friday, May 1, from 7-10 p.m. in Cafeteria 1. It partnered with the charity Puzzle Pieces Squared, led by Jared Silverstein, to support children with autism. There were a total of 27 performances throughout the evening, including solo and group vocalists, dancers, musicians, and larger groups, all showing off their special talents.

Not only did the “Wizard of Oz” theme highlight the excitement that students have in expressing themselves through pop culture, but it also effectively complements the message of Puzzle Pieces Squared. In the movie “The Wizard of Oz”, the protagonist, Dorothy, goes on an adventure to help her three friends, each coming from a background with distinct strengths and weaknesses. Dorothy learns to accept her friends for who they are, similar to the core values of Puzzle Pieces Squared, which is to change children’s futures through kindness and open minds.

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Isabella Laster

East Singers opened the show with their rendition of the song “Java Jive”, reinforcing the theme of coffee in Coffeehouse. Following the opening act, several East students came on stage for their moment in the spotlight. All performances were met with warm responses from the audience, applause, cheers, and occasionally, people turned on their phone flashlights and swayed them around.

Several of the songs performed correlated directly with the Wizard of Oz theme. Singers performed “For Good” from “Wicked” and “Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John, as well as a variety of other tunes that promoted the main message of acceptance that Coffeehouse highlighted. 

Silverstein spoke about the origins of Puzzle Pieces Squared, explaining how his charity was created to aid four families in the tri-state area, but has expanded since to provide aid to 71 families and nine school districts with autism support. 

With autism in mind, East continues to be accommodating to people with all forms of sensitivities with a Sensory Room, set up by the East Autism Acceptance Club. In the Sensory Room, people who may not be able to handle all the noise of Coffeehouse, or those who just want to take a break, can relax and calm down before returning to the audience.

After several performances, Coffeehouse ended with two songs from a Cherry Hill East band called The Skies. After their act, a crowd of students gathered in the middle to talk, dance, and cheer. 

This year’s Coffeehouse benefitted our local community through the unique theme of The Wizard of Oz. This Coffeehouse featured many unique, talented vocalists and engaging performances that left the crowd thrilled. It is safe to say that this year’s Coffeehouse effectively brought light to the cause of Puzzle Pieces Squared.