Student band raises money for foster care organization

On Feb. 28, Longwood Street, a band of five Palm Beach Atlantic University Students, performed in front of 200 people at Grandview Market to raise money for children in foster care. The band raised $1,300 for Speak Up For Kids, an organization for children in foster care.

Longwood Street supporting Speak Up for Kids at Grandview Market. Photo Credit: Skylar Senes.

Longwood Street consists of Amber-Jean Boykin, Jay Allin, Jake Libby, Selena Bronkhorst, and Landon Coggins. The band started in September 2024 when seniors Allin and Boykin decided to perform together in front of a small audience for Boykin’s birthday. A few months prior, Allin and Coggins performed in the 2024 spring semester the Coffee House Event, where PBA students signed up to do a musical performance on stage. 

 Longwood Street partnered with Speak Up For Kids of Palm Beach County for Libby’s entrepreneurship class. This organization is a nonprofit dedicated to aiding care to victims of child abuse in the foster care system through a variety of programs including Embrace Kids, which gives foster children the opportunity to partake in extracurricular activities such as music lessons, therapy, and sports. They also make an effort to create accessible volunteer opportunities. According to Libby, the band’s goal was to raise money for Speak Up For Kids in a performance that would also draw the community together. 

In early 2024, Longwood Street started playing for PBA events including those hosted by the Steering Committee, incoming student events, and the annual 561 Night Market, a night where local student businesses can sell their products The first performance as Longwood Street took place at Allin's house, where 150 audience members filled the yard. The band didn't expect to become as popular as they are today

“We’re just a bunch of kids who like to play music and hang out,” said Boykin, Longwood Street’s lead singer.

Libby explained that the inspiration behind the band and its name was first seeing Boykin, Allin, and Coggins all play together at Allin’s house on Longwood Street. Libby said their group fell into place quickly after their first performance.

When asked how the band works together in a team, Allin emphasized that each person brings something new and creative to the band such as how they are all a part of different friend groups and have diverse personalities.

“We all enjoyed similar music and wanted to play together, so any way that we could do that as a group and develop our own music was something we wanted to accomplish,” said Libby, the band’s lead guitarist. 

PBA has about 4,000 undergrad students. According to Libby, the band makes the university unique and a part of Longwood Street's goal is to bring people together in a Christ-centered approach.

 “Bringing people together to have a fun college experience while still being a reflection of Christ is what we believe in,” said Libby. 

“There’s so many things that we all bring to the table and everyone is so unique. It keeps us in check,” said guitarist Allin. 

After graduating in May 2025, Allin, Libby, and Boykin hope to continue performing during the summer throughout South Florida. Although their future is unknown, the band members plan to consider working together.

“Even if it is just for this past year, I think everything that we have done and accomplished together has been such a blessing,” said Boykin.

By Skylar Senes