In a time when the future of Fremont's after-school programs hangs in the balance, one local organization is hoping to keep them afloat.

The Centerville Business and Community Association is hosting "Centerville's Got Talent" on May 17 and 18 in an effort to raise money for the music programs at the four Centerville district schools within Fremont Unified School District.

The show, running 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days, will feature a variety of high school bands and non-school bands performing on stage at the Bill Ball Plaza near the Centerville Train Depot.

Marc Dinh, Centerville Business and Community Association president, said it was time for local businesses and community members to come forward and help the schools in a time of drastic budget cuts.

"The CBCA has always wanted to reach out to the community, and what better way to do that than to showcase the talents of Centerville's four schools," he said.

Dinh said the two-day event would not simply be a number of bands performing on stage. Sales booths will also be set up so Centerville and Thornton junior high schools and Washington and American high schools can sell a variety of merchandise to benefit the music programs as well.

"We're basically providing a venue for our schools to say Ôcome help our kids,'" he added. "This is all about helping kids, which will help the community, which will also help the businesses here."

Dinh said without programs such as music or art, both of which are on the potential list of cuts in the school district, students will suffer because there will be no class, no sheet music and no instruments for children to better themselves outside of the classroom.

According to Dinh, music teachers within the district are allotted only $300 to spend on music materials. Everything else is out of pocket.

Because of this, he said many teachers organize their own fundraisers each year to help Fremont music programs.

He's hoping "Centerville's Got Talent" will raise about $1,000 for all four Centerville schools. All proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales will go toward the music programs at each school.

"More and more, music directors have to raise funds by themselves," he said. "This is like a helping hand for them to get started."

He added that eligible bands will not be limited to the four Centerville campuses, as bands from Walters Junior High School, Irvington and Mission San Jose high schools and Fremont Christian School will also perform.

While these school bands will include marching bands, jazz bands, concert bands and choral groups, the event will also accept rock and pop bands as well.

Dinh is also hopeful the business associations from Fremont's other four districts will also come out to support the students and their music programs.

"Hopefully we'll bring all the schools together and they'll want to support each other," he said. "I think the schools in Fremont are disconnected, and the business associations are disconnected. I think the business associations need to come together to support our students as well."