School Music Platform Founded by Houston Native Empowers Students

HOUSTON - May 16, 2016 - PRLog -- When Houston resident Dillon Smith graduated from Houston Baptist University in 2011 to embark on a career in politics, he never imagined a change that would catapult him as an entrepreneur and youth advocate against hate and violence.

"Growing up my passion was politics, but I have always loved music and the power it has to draw emotion," said Smith. "After a few years, I had a choice to make - stay in politics and attend law school like my father - or fulfill another dream to build a business that would positively impact youth."

Smith, 27, left politics in 2012 for music management. In 2014, he and friend Gus Mendoza founded the Allstar Nation Tour (https://www.facebook.com/#!/allstarnationtour) as a way to reach kids through music in a way that engages and excites them.  He created the anti-bullying tour in summer 2014 as a supplemental assembly program free to schools. It boasts a concert-like atmosphere mixed with important messages delivered by emerging music artists to a student audience who is high energy one moment, and pin-drop silent the next.

The 60-to-90-minute program features a small group of popular independent music artists from American Idol, X-Factor, The Voice, and others who perform Top 40 and original music to connect with students. Between songs, they speak out against bullying, share personal experiences, and discuss prevention methods.  Students also have a chance to interact with the artists during and after the show.

"I find such personal satisfaction watching students get emerged into the message our artists deliver," Smith said. "I have had a numerous students send me messages or approach me after our program to tell me we saved their life. There's no better feeling than helping someone in need and knowing we are making an impact."

Drew Ryniewicz (http://www.drewofficial.com/), 19, who is a regular performer on the tour and was a season one Top 6 finalist on X-Factor, sees the tour for more than just a chance to perform.

"Being on a national TV show put me in the spotlight and unfortunately invited some people to say negative things to me online," explained Ryniewicz. "As a regular victim of cyberbullying, I believe sharing my experiences and how I managed certain situations will benefit someone who may be facing the same issue."

The Allstar Nation Tour will stop in the Houston area this week for performances Monday at Beck Junior High School in Katy, Texas at 11:00 a.m.; Spring Forest Middle School in Houston on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.; and Twin Creeks Middle School in Spring, Texas on Wednesday 3:15 p.m.  Ryniewicz is scheduled to perform at all three assemblies along with The Voice season six contestant Branden Mendoza of New Caney, Texas; and Micaiah Walker, lead singer of popular Houston rock band VerseCity (http://www.versecity.com/).

Last summer, Smith strengthened his commitment to helping students by starting The National Anti-Bullying Project (http://www.thenabp.org/), a non-profit organization and parent company to the Allstar Nation Tour that is dedicated to empowering students, teachers and parents to eliminate bullying in schools.

The Allstar Nation Tour completed its first year with nearly 100 assemblies in several states, reaching nearly 85,000 students, faculty, and other Administrators. In just two school calendar years, the tour has quickly grown into the nation's premiere, anti-bullying (http://www.allstarnationtour.com/) school concert tour reaching more than 150 schools among 30 districts across the country reaching more than 125,000 people.

For information about the Allstar Nation Tour, visit www.allstarnationtour.com, www.thenabp.org, or call 713-562-1708.