Joseph Darcourt, a ninth grader at Calhoun High School, recently set up his cello in front of the New York Public Library recently in effort to raise money for Long Island Cares The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

After learning about the organization’s need for donations in order to assist people who struggle with hunger across Long Island, Darcourt said he wanted to give back to the community. Utilizing his cello case as a collection box, Darcourt raised $400 in one day.

Darcourt is also a pre-college cello student at Juilliard who has played the instrument since elementary school.

While he donated $100 to The Harry Chapin Food Bank, the remaining $300 will fund a project he is working on at The Juilliard School, called Artist as Citizen, which fosters meaningful connections, strengthen community and inspire social change. His M&M/Music and Meditation project aims to bring meditative music practices to public school children through the United Nations for Youth.

“Breathing meditation helped my music journey,” Darcourt said. “Stress is the no. 1 issue in my generation, and I believe that music and meditation can help youth for their mental well-being. I am still trying to figure out how to collaborate this project with the United Nations for Youth, that's why I am keeping on saving the coins for one day I figure out.”

His science research teacher, Christine Boyce, suggested Darcourt weave his musical talent and interest in meditation into his science project as well.

“This is very exciting for me that I can continue what I did at the beginning of Juilliard project, maybe starting to collect the data of brain weaves and heartbeats for science research,” he added.