I’ve vocalized my support of C89.5 FM on several occasions, and have no problem explaining why. The station is run entirely by students enrolled in Nathan Hale High School’s radio program. And they, with guidance from their teachers, do it so well that Billboard made C89.5 the first noncommercial station in the country to contribute to its dance rankings. Hip-hop station KUBE’s program director Eric Powers summarized it best when, on one occasion, he told me: “People ask me if I went to college to do this. I say no. I went through four years of training at Nathan Hale High School.”I can’t go back in time and redo high school to have access to such an awesome program, but I can ensure that future generations do by buying tickets to C89.5’s Listener Appreciation Party. As anyone who has attended the station’s previous parties can attest, these shows are a blast and give you a chance to see up-and-coming artists (Lady GaGa headlined the first LAP party!) before they explode into superstardom. The upcoming sixth installment, featuring artists like Banger Bros, Jump Smokers, and Morgan Page, takes place at Neighbours on Saturday, August 6. Owing to the station’s die-hard fans, VIP tickets are already sold out, but you can still purchase general admission tickets for just $8.95 online. More important, you are given the option of donating additional funds, which all go toward keeping C89.5 on air. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.