A+ Dropouts

If you’re looking for a band that’s equal parts sass and class, then we’ve found what you’re looking for. We present to you the A+ Dropouts!

Getting ready to rock your playlist, the A+ Dropouts have released their newest single “Boy Games.” A loud, exciting, in-your-face song, “Boy Games” will have you singing at the top of your lungs with it’s catchy beats. To celebrate the release of their single, the A+ Dropouts have released the music video for “Boy Games” as well. Sometimes school can be rough, especially with drama thrown into the mix, but the A+ Dropouts know how to cure it all with music. We know you’ll love the video, so check it out!

To learn more about the A+ Dropouts, head on over to APlusDropouts.com. There you can learn about the members, including lead singer Cheska Zaide. See what other bands they’ve performed with, and where you can catch them performing next. The A+ Dropouts are the next big thing in teen rock. So keep an eye out and your ears open for new music from this awesome band!

Let us know what you think of the A+ Dropouts in the comments section. We’ll tell you one thing, we can’t get enough of “Boy Games!” - Fanlala.com

J-14 is scouting out the hottest music around... and this week's pick is A+ Dropouts!

Here are five things you need to know about the A+ Dropouts, whose EP No Time for Goodbyes is out soon!

1. Originally from Washington D.C., pop-punk band A+ Dropouts consists of 14-year-old lead singer and guitarist Cheska Zaide, 15-year-old guitarist Lucas, 14-year-old bassist Evan, and 14-year-old drummer Liam. Their band name fits the group perfectly -- describing where they're at both in their career and as teenagers. "All of us are good in school and we liked the idea of the added word dropouts as a connotation to the fact that we are 'students by day and rockers by night'," Cheska tells J-14. How do they balance? "We have practice generally on Fridays and Sundays during the school year with gigs on weekends and squeezed into our vacation time," she explains. "It's always a bit hard, but we always make it work in the end."

2. Some of Cheska's musical inspirations consists of fellow rockers No Doubt's Gwen Stefani and Paramore's Hayley Williams along with newcomer Tonight Alive. "Also recently I've been inspired by Tonight Alive to write more complicated guitar parts that sound awesome!" she says. "I would totally love to work with these bands in the future!"


3. According to Cheska, one career highlight has been opening up for Forever The Sickest Kids. "I felt like I was on top of the world. To have the support of knowing that Jonathan Cook asked for us to open for them was incredible. I treated that performance like my first big break," she recalls. "It gave me a little taste of what being a rockstar is like -- all access backstage pass -- and every time I feel like this whole music thing is just too much, I think of that performance and realize that with hard work, it's all gonna pay off."

4. A+ Dropouts are getting ready to be a part of the LIV5 Event, a string of concerts, in the Philippines with Forever The Sickest Kids, The Ready Set, The Summer Set, and A Rocket to the Moon! "I'm extremely excited to play in front of so many people and it's such a huge opportunity to play with such awesome bands," she tells J-14.

5. Their latest single, "On Your Own", is a different take on a painful breakup. "It's basically a spin off of every other break up song, only instead of having a depressed mood, this one is about being happy for the opportunity to move forward," Cheska tells J-14.
- J-14

"We get good grades but we still rock out hard core."

That explains the band's name, says Cheska Zaide, founder and lead singer of the Ashburn-based punk/pop/alternative group A+ Dropouts.

"We're just kids who by day are students and by night are rockers," she goes on.

Cheska's voice booms from the practice of blasting well-timed lyrics into a microphone, harmonious with Erik Hagler's guitar and percussed by Brendan Evans' drums. Since forming about a year ago, the A+ Dropouts have rocked on stages across Northern Virginia and the D.C. area. They've performed more than 50 gigs, playing Roanoke, Va., Lancaster, Pa. and Milwaukee, Wisc. They've been featured on almost every D.C. television station and on the cover of almost every local newspaper. They've opened for Sister Hazel and shared a stage with Usher, Santana and Eric Clapton.

The A+ Dropouts have thousands of Facebook fans and hundreds of thousands of YouTube hits, and they've been recognized as one of the nation's best teen bands. Recently, Cheska got a big thrill out of hearing her latest original single, "On Your Own," spun on popular rock station DC101.

Imagine what they'll be when they grow up.

The catch is that a high academic standard must be maintained in order to practice and perform. The kids' parents are unanimous in that, and the A+ Dropouts keep on making the grade. A rock band isn't a rock band without its singer or drummer or guitarist.

Cheska is a 13-year-old middle school student with a lifelong passion for music and a precociously rich voice. She got a notion to get a band together, turned to Facebook, and came up with Erik and Brendan. It was rock at first strum.

"The first time we got together, it was sick," Cheska recalls. (She means sick in a good way.)

The A+ Dropouts bring a high-energy style tempered with groovy underlying melodies, and they perform before an audience with a distinctive flair that's easily visible upon checking out any of their many YouTube videos.

The Loudoun Hounds Professional Baseball Club takes particular pride in showing off the remarkable talents of these Loudoun kids for two separate shows during our inaugural FanFest celebration.

Today, rockin' out at Hounds FanFest. Tomorrow, selling out huge arenas. Be there when the A+ Dropouts take the stage -- this might be your only chance to see them for free. (This blogger did get Cheska to commit to returning to play in their hometown ballpark even after they get big and famous, so we got that going for us.)

Look for the A+ Dropouts' forthcoming album*, now being recorded. And check out "On Your Own" on iTunes.

APlusDropouts.com
Facebook.com/aplusdropouts
YouTube.com/user/APlusDropouts

*For you kids, an album is a collection of songs thematically tied together and released all at once. This was back in the dark ages before you downloaded everything.
- Loudoun Hounds

"We get good grades but we still rock out hard core."

That explains the band's name, says Cheska Zaide, founder and lead singer of the Ashburn-based punk/pop/alternative group A+ Dropouts.

"We're just kids who by day are students and by night are rockers," she goes on.

Cheska's voice booms from the practice of blasting well-timed lyrics into a microphone, harmonious with Erik Hagler's guitar and percussed by Brendan Evans' drums. Since forming about a year ago, the A+ Dropouts have rocked on stages across Northern Virginia and the D.C. area. They've performed more than 50 gigs, playing Roanoke, Va., Lancaster, Pa. and Milwaukee, Wisc. They've been featured on almost every D.C. television station and on the cover of almost every local newspaper. They've opened for Sister Hazel and shared a stage with Usher, Santana and Eric Clapton.

The A+ Dropouts have thousands of Facebook fans and hundreds of thousands of YouTube hits, and they've been recognized as one of the nation's best teen bands. Recently, Cheska got a big thrill out of hearing her latest original single, "On Your Own," spun on popular rock station DC101.

Imagine what they'll be when they grow up.

The catch is that a high academic standard must be maintained in order to practice and perform. The kids' parents are unanimous in that, and the A+ Dropouts keep on making the grade. A rock band isn't a rock band without its singer or drummer or guitarist.

Cheska is a 13-year-old middle school student with a lifelong passion for music and a precociously rich voice. She got a notion to get a band together, turned to Facebook, and came up with Erik and Brendan. It was rock at first strum.

"The first time we got together, it was sick," Cheska recalls. (She means sick in a good way.)

The A+ Dropouts bring a high-energy style tempered with groovy underlying melodies, and they perform before an audience with a distinctive flair that's easily visible upon checking out any of their many YouTube videos.

The Loudoun Hounds Professional Baseball Club takes particular pride in showing off the remarkable talents of these Loudoun kids for two separate shows during our inaugural FanFest celebration.

Today, rockin' out at Hounds FanFest. Tomorrow, selling out huge arenas. Be there when the A+ Dropouts take the stage -- this might be your only chance to see them for free. (This blogger did get Cheska to commit to returning to play in their hometown ballpark even after they get big and famous, so we got that going for us.)

Look for the A+ Dropouts' forthcoming album*, now being recorded. And check out "On Your Own" on iTunes.

APlusDropouts.com
Facebook.com/aplusdropouts
YouTube.com/user/APlusDropouts

*For you kids, an album is a collection of songs thematically tied together and released all at once. This was back in the dark ages before you downloaded everything.
- Loudoun Hounds

Cheska is rock`n roll all the way. Her appearance on stage is outstanding, and the rocker look she has going on is fantastic. She may look great on stage, but her vocals are off the hook! Cheska is the lead vocalist for the band A+Dropouts and when they perform the crowd goes crazy over their music. She doesn`t just stand there and sing she is all over the stage putting on a great show.

Cheska living in Washington DC, is one amazing person she has come a long way in a very short time. She began singing with the band a age eleven. Also at the same age she started playing the guitar, taking lessons from Matt Mills, and has taken it all to heart. You can see clearly in her performances that she truly believes in herself, and confidence is very high. This is why the audience connects so well with her, if you believe in yourself so will others, and people definitely do when she is on stage.

Cheska just started performing about a year ago at a Kidsfest show in Virginia, but her biggest so far was at Summerfest in Milwaukee.

The Summerfest event June 25 , 2010 has been her favorite. This was special for her because this stage is where her idol Paramore played just two years before. She is also very creative with her song writing. She writes almost all the songs for the group. She has one great song out she wrote "On Your Own" which is available on itunes. Her popularity is growing quickly she has appeared on the news three times so far and on local TV. If she ever makes national TV, she will soar, not only from her singing, she has a look that the camera loves and so will the TV industry.

When it comes to performing she does give her all, but this is not the only time she does, she is great in school with good grades. This is something all young artists should keep up with, school is a very important part of life. With her school is a priority, because of this she will be able to excel not only in music , but life. If your ever in the Washington DC area stop by where ever she is performing, you will not be disappointed ow.

- stars2come.com

Listening to the first few chords of the A+ Dropouts' cover of "Helter Skelter" won't necessarily produce any raised eyebrows. Just wait.

A+ Dropouts lead singer Cheska ZaideWait until lead singer Cheska Zaide wails out the opening lyrics, echoing McCartney in all the best ways. With her band mates quickly reaching their apex, the song becomes instantly enjoyable.

Once you remember that these Dropouts are only kids, teenagers in middle and high school, it's hard not to be impressed.

Cheska formed the A+ Dropouts in an effort to find others her age who shared her interests of making and playing music. A year later, the A+ Dropouts, have become local rock stars.

With more than 3,200 fans on Facebook and 24,000 hits on their YouTube videos, the Dropouts have played events like Summerfest 2010 and the National Cherry Blossom Festival, been on ABC and NBC, and will grace the stage of the 9:30 Club in December.

But this month, The Dropouts are facing their biggest challenge yet.

The band is currently vying for a spot as a regional finalist in the SchoolJam USA competition, a national battle of the bands contest for teenagers.

During the month of November, members of the public can go on the contest's website and vote for the band they want to see move to the next round, a live finals competition in Anaheim, Ca.

Every person can vote once a day, but in order to make the cut to California, the Dropouts need to be ranked second or first in their region; right now they sit at third.

Once in Anaheim, a winner will be chosen to perform in Germany while netting $1,000 in prize money, and $5,000 for their various school music programs.

Speaking to the Indie from the basement of the Zaide home, where the Dropouts usually jam, Cheska and her band mates seem anxious for the voting turnout, but content with where they are.

"It'd be so cool to get to play in L.A.," Cheska said. "But to be honest, just being in this band has been great."

Citing rock and punk music as direct influences, the A+ Dropouts have a distinct alternative vibe and a punk-rock quality to their original songs.

But according to the parents of the Dropouts, being in a band comes second to being a student.

"There's two parts to their name," Tom Evans, Brendan's dad, said.

"They get to perform and practice on weekends, but as a requirement, they have to keep good grades."

Being a parent of an A+ Dropout boasts as much responsibility as being a band member.

Each parent is lobbied with their own specific task to push the band forward. From running public relations to branding their social media design to engineering their sound, the parents of the Dropouts fully support their child's endeavors.

"They are all clearly passionate about what they are doing," said Rina Zaide, Cheska's mom. "It's important to be supportive of them."

With her dry sense of humor and maturity beyond her years, Cheska fits well into the role of band leader. Stylized with an emo-punk wardrobe and hyper stage persona, she helps the A+ Dropouts command the stage in a way that makes you forget you're listening to 13-year-olds.

"I was a little nervous being on stage at first," Cheska said. "But you get used to it, and you grow to really enjoy it."

When they're not writing new music, penning studio time, performing live or practicing, the Dropouts are usually finding some other way to promote themselves.

"This... is... my... life," Cheska said.

Spoken like a true rock star.

- The Indie

WASHINGTON - The world's largest music festival kicks off this week, and the performers include a local band that's fronted by a 12-year-old girl.

Cheska Zaide of Ashburn founded the group called A+ Dropouts. The group, which formed last year, performs covers as well as its own songs.

"We play rock, more like Green Day and Paramore. You should listen to us because our original (music) captures different musical tastes," says Zaide.

Members practice together twice a week, after school on Friday and Sunday afternoons.

A+ Dropouts has performed at the 9:30 Club, the National Cherry Blossom Festival and other major venues and events in the region. Friday the group has its biggest gig ever, venturing out to Milwaukee to appear at Summerfest, an 11-day festival that includes major artists such as Eric Clapton, Santana and Usher.

"I think it might be the biggest thing we're going to do for a while. It's really cool," says Zaide.

Zaide says she would love to have a career in music someday.

"The way it feels when I'm performing in front of the crowd it's just an amazing feeling," she says.

"The adrenaline comes and I get excited. And signing autographs for people is really, really cool."

- WTOP Radio

Justin Bieber, Santana and Carrie Underwood are just a few of the names that will play this year on one of 11 stages during the 11-day Summerfest Festival, deemed the world’s largest music festival. It will take place in Milwaukee, Wis., June 24 through July 4.

Loudoun’s A+ Dropouts, a middle school band, has been invited to play as emerging artists at the US Cellular Connection Stage June 25.

“Bands our age don’t really get to do much of anything, so we''re really excited about it".

It all started in November 2009 when Cheska Zaide, the lead singer and guitar player from Ashburn, left another band to form a new one.

Band members are thrilled they are going to be near so many well-known musicians.

“We saw the Silversun Pickups when they played at the Patriot Center, and I really wanted to one day open for them,” Zaide said about one of her band idols. “Now we get to play at the same festival as they do.”

Since A+ Dropouts formed, the seventh- and eighth-graders have practiced twice a week and are in the process of writing new songs.

“Sometimes, it gets kind of hard,” Zaide said about juggling school and band practice. “It gets easier toward the end of the year.”

A+ Dropouts’ music has been inspired by artists such as No Doubt and Paramore. They have performed for Sister Hazel and Forever the Sickest Kids, and have toured in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D. C.

From the sound of it, it seems that A+ Dropouts are going to give their fans much more to listen to.

- Loudoun Times Mirror

Like most middle school students
they sit bouncing on a couch, telling inside
jokes and chit chatting away.
Except the foursome had just finished
a rehearsal where they not only
covered various rock music from the
Eagles to The White Stripes, but played
original tunes as well. The band members
are all in middle school, between
the ages of 12-14 and are local, coming
from Ashburn, Sterling and Leesburg.
All the members of the A+ Dropouts
have played in other bands and
the group came together in December.

“It’s kind of cool how four different
musical tastes come together,”
Cheska said. “It can change a song.”
She said it is great to see where they
end up when they blend their tastes to
write original music. The group plays
about five songs that they have written
themselves.

They like working together
to blend their ideas into one song.
It is fun to be able to but their
own spin on songs that are already
classics. For example, the band’s version
of “Hotel California” has a thrash
metal kick. They jokingly refer to the
song as “Hostel California.”
Even though the band is young, they
believe in what they do, Cheska said. She
said she doesn’t think it matters how long
a musician has been playing as long as
they can do it well. The band’s members
have been playing music for anywhere
from two to seven years.
The band’s influences include artists
such as Gwen Stefani, Paramore, Green
Day, Avenge Sevenfold, Rise Against,
Lamb of God and Boys Like Girls. “I
love the way they perform,” Cheska said
of her favorite bands.
The A+ Dropouts have big plans for
their future. The band said they would
love to make it to a big tour, such as
Warped Tour, Lollapalooza or Bamboozle.
They also hope to eventually land a
record deal.
This past year they were one of the
youngest bands invited to Launch Music
Festival in Pennsylvania, said Rina
Zaide, Cheska’s mother. She said in order
for the band to be successful the parents
have to be supportive, including driving
them to shows as far away as Richmond
and Pennsylvania. She said the band has
found the right members and “it’s opening
doors for them.”
One door that was opened for them
was the chance to play at this year’s Herndon
Festival. They are scheduled to take
the Herndon Municipal Center stage at 11
a.m. on Saturday. “They’re doing something
right,” Rina Zaide said. She said the
band is currently booked through June.
Visit www.aplusdropouts.com - Herndon Observer

A+ Dropouts are quickly be
coming the busiest young
rockers in Northern Virginia.
They were the youngest
band to ever perform at Launch
Music Conference in Lancaster,
Pa., where they impressed the talent
buyer for Summerfest, world’s
largest musical festival, and are
hoping to perform there next year.
“The A+ Dropouts display more
confidence, more ability to engage
the audience, and more technical
skill than many bands twice their
age. It is adorable, and compelling,”
said Jeremy Weiss, Launch
Music Conference co-director and
founder.
In their first few months, the A+
Dropouts toured throughout Virginia,
Washington, D.C., Maryland
and Pennsylvania in venues and
events such as Jammin’ Java, National
Cherry Blossom Festival,
Bourbon Street/The Quarter, New
Year’s Annapolis, while working on
their first self titled album featuring
their single “Someone New”.

A+ Dropouts will be playing at
Herndon Festival on Saturday,
June 5, at 11 a.m. at the HMC
stage.
For more information visit
www.aplusdropouts.com. The group
can also be found on Facebook,
YouTube, Twitter and MySpace by
searching A+ Dropouts. For booking - Herndon Connection

A band made up of middle schools students will be putting on more notch in its belt next week, as it takes the stage at the National Cherry Blossom Festival April 8.

The band, A+ Dropouts, takes its name from the grades the four members aim to earn on their report cards in Loudoun County Public Schools.

A+ Dropouts' band members are 12 to 14 years old, but have already performed with national artists including Forever the Sickest Kids in venues such as Jammin Java, Bourbon Street/The Quarter Baltimore, and JAXX in Springfield. The band has also toured throughout Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Now the students have another feather for their cap, as a part of a 16-day line up on the Target Performance Stage at the Sylvan Theatre on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Performances for the Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off March 27, and will continue through Sunday, April 11. The A+ Dropouts will be the last act on April 8, playing from 4:15 to 5 p.m.

Other performers include high school bands, musical acts and dance troupes from around the country and the world. For more information on the festival, visit www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

To learn more about the A+ Dropouts, including their first album, which is currently in process, visit www.aplusdropouts.com. The band can also be found on YouTube, Facebook and MySpace by searching for A+ Dropouts.
- Leesburg Today

A band made up of middle schools students will be putting on more notch in its belt next week, as it takes the stage at the National Cherry Blossom Festival April 8.

The band, A+ Dropouts, takes its name from the grades the four members aim to earn on their report cards in Loudoun County Public Schools.

A+ Dropouts' band members are 12 to 14 years old, but have already performed with national artists including Forever the Sickest Kids in venues such as Jammin Java, Bourbon Street/The Quarter Baltimore, and JAXX in Springfield. The band has also toured throughout Virginia, DC, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Now the students have another feather for their cap, as a part of a 16-day line up on the Target Performance Stage at the Sylvan Theatre on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Performances for the Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off March 27, and will continue through Sunday, April 11. The A+ Dropouts will be the last act on April 8, playing from 4:15 to 5 p.m.

Other performers include high school bands, musical acts and dance troupes from around the country and the world. For more information on the festival, visit www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.

To learn more about the A+ Dropouts, including their first album, which is currently in process, visit www.aplusdropouts.com. The band can also be found on YouTube, Facebook and MySpace by searching for A+ Dropouts.
- Leesburg Today

Local Band Joins Rock Stars
performs at prime area venues.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009


A local band of four young people ranging in age from 11 to 14, are well on the way to living their dreams of being rock stars. The group has been invited to play at JAXX Nightclub, a popular venue in West Springfield where many successful bands like Cheap Trick, The Little River Band and Eddie Money have previously taken the stage.

They opened this year’s Loudoun Youth Fest, and caught the attention of the headlining group Forever the Sickest Kids (FTSK), who are recording their second album before going back on tour this summer. When FTSK heard them play, they were impressed with these young musicians and asked for a repeat performance — opening for their show later that night. Playing before a crowd of hundreds may intimidate some young bands, but not these kids, who took over the stage for a second time and thrilled the crowd.

Since that performance, word has spread fast and their calendar is quickly filling with event dates. The Fuzed will be playing a mix of originals and classic rock selections at JAXX in West Springfield on Friday, July 17 at 8 p.m. and also at the Loudoun County Fair in Leesburg on Friday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m. They have several additional performances scheduled later this summer and throughout the fall.

The members practice in Haymarket at the home of 13-year-old lead guitarist. Bassist resides in Gainesville and is the eldest at age 14. Drummer of Herndon is 13, and lead vocalist Cheska Zaide of Ashburn, the youngest, is just 11.

- Herndon Connection

Ride to Top on Classic Rock
Young local band takes audience members by surprise with classic rock tunes.

By Sarah Moore, The Connection
Wednesday, July 22, 2009


"Are those kids in the band?" a man in the crowd whispered. While the band on stage finished setting up, the curious audience at Jaxx Night Club in Springfield on Friday, July 17 grabbed their drinks and headed down to the floor to get a closer look.

The band was a noticeable deviation from Jaxx’s typical lineup and seemed to mimic a scene from the movie "School of Rock."

Though many "tween" bands like Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers have gained notoriety with pop-rock melodies and catchy lyrics, Their set list reflected more mature musical tastes.

"We play classic rock covers that everyone knows". "We all like different styles of music but we all like to play classic rock."



TWO of the band’s biggest hits at Jaxx were Ozzy Osbourne’s "Crazy Train" and "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns ’n Roses. This hit caught the attention of headlining group Forever the Sickest Kids (FTSK) while The band was playing at Loudoun’s YouthFest in June. FTSK unexpectedly asked them to open for them later that evening.

While their age sometimes makes balancing busy schedules difficult, Rina Zaide, Cheska’s mother, said it can also be advantageous.

"They are very noticeable because they are very young" she said. "So when people saw them they were like, ‘Whoa. We were surprised. We were like, cute kids-oh they’re going to play cute silly songs. But no, they can rock.’ They always manage to surprise people."

Band members cited such musical influences as Aerosmith, The Beatles, KISS and AC/DC. Besides covers, They also has two original songs and they are working on more.


Being in a band, the children and their parents said, has been enjoyable but has required lots of effort from both the children and their parents.


BALANCING school, scouts and extra-curricular activities alongside of band practices several times a week has been difficult, their parents said. During the summer, the band practices for several hours, six days a week. But as long as the children are enjoying themselves, their parents said, they would continue being supportive.

"We ask them, ‘Do you guys want to take the day off today?’ and they’re like, ‘Nope’" . "If they’re earning some high school money making music rather than bagging groceries and it becomes their high school job, it’s good, as long as they enjoy it."

Members of the band, though, said they are aiming a little higher.

Other future goals include "World touring like AC/DC. Like Australia to Ireland to the U.S.A. and everything,".

Before world tours, though, They will continue to play in and around Northern Virginia at events like the upcoming Loudoun County Fair on Friday, July 31 and at the Montgomery County Fair in August.
- Reston Connection

by C.R. Smith

This young band is already rockin out crowds of 1000 or more with less than 6 months as a group under their belt. The Fuzed are definitely a band to keep an ear and an eye out for. Exploding on the DC/Northern Virginia music scene, these four school mates are already holding note for note to such classic covers as Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode".

Cheska Zaide's vocals shine, allowing her confidence to create a stage performance resembling the nature of a true rock star.

As their group continues to grow both musically and personally, I not only hope to see them drawing in fans by the thousands and selling a ton of records, I expect it.
- Magazine 33

The dreams of four young teenagers are on the line: the chance to be crowned best youth band in America, and you can help.

The A+ Dropouts, and are competing in the National Association of Music Merchants' (NAMM) best youth band contest. The band, chosen as one of 48 nationwide semifinalists, needs to secure the #2 spot in the online voting competition to move on to the next round, and they have until Nov. 30 to do so.
The winners of the overall contest stand to win $5,000 for their local school's music department, a trip to Europe to perform at School Jam Germany, a chance to perform at Disney Land, $1,000 toward new band equipment and a music video shoot aboard the John Lennon Educational Bus.

The foursome of 13- to 16-year-olds formed the A+ Dropouts just over a year ago. Zaide, lead vocalist and guitarist endorsed by Daisy Rock, approached her parents about forming a serious band to help boost her music career.

Although young, the four are no strangers to the limelight. They have performed at events such as the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Roanoke Festival in the Park, Henrico County Kidsfest and Summerfest 2010 alongside stars such as Justin Beiber and Santana.
- Ashburn Patch

Sounds of Guns N' Roses famous song, "Sweet Child o' Mine" filled the Loudoun County Fair in Leesburg Friday night.
The tune took on a different sound, though, with a female lead singer pumping out the lyrics.
The band, not only managed to get through the tune but played it extremely well. This would usually not be such a remarkable feat except that members of the band still have to rely on their parents to get them to their gigs and they have yet to experience walking through the hallways of a high school.

Since the summer started, the kids have practiced six days a week for at least four hours a day.
Although they are playing small gigs now, they have dreams of grander proportions.
"We just want to keep practicing and getting better" . "We want to play in Warped Tour someday."
For the time being, they are content with improving their skills and focusing their time on writing their own songs. During their show at the fair, they played their first original song, and they are in the process of adding more of their own material.

"They are starting to master the performance part of music but they are still new to writing music,". "They still have a lot to go through. They haven't had relationships yet or had their hearts broken."
Whether they are playing in front of 10 people or 10,000, they show a rare charisma and confidence.
"It's just fun to play in front of a lot of people," Zaide said. "I like seeing people surprised at how good we sound."
During their eight-song show, many people in attendance were visibly taken aback by the quality of their music.
"If you like them now, imagine what they'll sound like in three years."
After their show, the group was humble about their performance.
"It wasn't our greatest,".
Then the group ran off into the fair.
"They probably went to go ride the bumper cars,"
They may be an aspiring rock band but the members of the band are still just kids.
- loudonextra.com (Washington Post)