YOUNG ADULTS ORGANIZE SIMI BENEFIT SHOW; FORMER STUDENTS REALIZE POWER TO HELP OUT AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Byline: Douglas Clark Daily News Staff Writer

Supporting a good cause has empowered a group of 25 former Simi Valley students to organize a benefit concert to raise money for local schools.

The brainchild of friends Mackenzie Waller and Brenda Kleidosty, the Canicula Family Benefit Concert on Aug. 8 at the Simi Valley Drive-in will feature music, food and the opportunity to support education. Canicula is a Spanish word meaning ``dog days of summer.''

``This concert is not only to raise money, but to raise awareness,'' said Waller, 19, who graduated from Royal High School in 1996. ``By doing this, we're empowering ourselves, and in turn, hope to empower the community.''

Headlining the show will be the swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, which was featured in the film ``Swingers.'' At least three other bands, including reggae and mainstream punk revival music, will perform from 6:30 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets are $10 in advance, and can be obtained by calling [phone]. They will be $15 at the gate.

Waller was in her first year at the University of California at Berkeley, when she realized she wanted to do something for the Simi Valley public schools. Surrounded by great facilities, she realized that while the Simi Valley teaching staff was talented, the school district's resources were scarce.

``The money isn't there to give. It's not a problem with the district - it comes from higher up,'' she said. ``The focus in this state isn't as much on education as it needs to be.''

Kleidosty, 19, another Royal High School graduate who will be a sophomore at UCLA this fall, met with Waller in April to discuss how to help the schools. Soon, 23 other graduates of Royal and Simi Valley high schools agreed to help organize the concert during summer vacation.

And they chose a group name - Empower.

Heidi Ferguson, 19, who must return for her second year at the University of Hawaii one day before the concert, credits Waller with doing much of the grunt work - including sending e-mail updates to group members.

``She did an incredible amount of work before we came back from school,'' she said.

Even so, Ferguson said she's impressed how the group has since shared responsibility. When something needs to get done, someone is there to do it, she said.

``The group has functioned really well together,'' she said. ``It's just amazing that a bunch of college-age students can come together and do something like this.''

Jacquie Richardson, of the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley, agreed.

``These kids are so incredible. I'm absolutely astounded. They're sick of this Generation X and `slacker' stuff. It's not who they are,'' she said referring to the derogatory labels often used to describe younger generations.

Richardson said she threw her weight behind the project after receiving a call from Waller seeking advice. Empower gained nonprofit status by working through the Kiwanis Club, which agreed to back the $7,000 event after Richardson lobbied on behalf of the group.

Waller said Empower members are grateful for Richardson's guidance.

``It's really nice a group that large is willing to help us form our own group,'' she said.

Kleidosty added that the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley gave the group ``credibility and confidence.''

``We had a lot of rejection before we went to them,'' she said.

Whatever profits are generated from the concert will be available to members of the school staff who want to begin new programs or need equipment or resources the district can't provide. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel including a teacher, parent and student. Waller will have final approval.

``There are a lot of teachers out there with great ideas who don't have funding,'' said Ferguson of the need for the fund.

While no one can predict how much revenue the concert will generate, Waller, Kleidosty and Ferguson all hope the event can happen each year.

``It would be great to come home from college every year and be able to do something like this,'' said Ferguson.

Regardless of the financial return, the experience of organizing the concert will pay off in the long run, they said.

``If we can pull it off this year, it makes it simpler to do next year,'' said Waller.

For information on the Canicula Family Benefit Concert, call [phone].