Published November 6, 2004
His advice to others
"I've always felt that in America we shouldn't have kids homeless or living with domestic violence. The more we're educated about it and motivated to take action, the more good we can accomplish as a society." - Steve Schlosser, who was honored by the National Jaycees
Iowan drums up support for troubled kids

Seven years after he began his doctoral research project, Burlington native Steve Schlosser is reaping rewards he never imagined.

Schlosser's project - a youth drum corps called Sheltered Reality that raises awareness for homeless and troubled children and teens - has been such a success that it has 168 members from four states.

The group performed for more than 35,000 people in 2002 and 2003 and sponsored supply drives for homeless shelters. Those drives garnered thousands of donated items - including 88,000 stuffed animals last year.All this work earned Schlosser, 36, a place as one of this year's Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the National Jaycees.

Sheltered Reality has done everything but earn its founder his degree in motivation theory. "The Ph.D. has been on perpetual hold as this has gotten bigger and bigger," said Schlosser. "There's no way I could stop it right now to do a dissertation."

Schlosser didn't even have time to stop touring to receive the Outstanding Young American award, which hasn't gone to an Iowan in more than 20 years.He and many of his group members were set to pick up the prize and to perform at the Jaycees' national convention in New Orleans on Sept. 18, but Hurricane Ivan blew away that plan.

The convention was rescheduled for October in Tulsa, Okla., but Schlosser and Sheltered Reality opted to stick to a previously scheduled show in Minnesota.

"An award is an award, but the mission is why we do this," Schlosser said of the decision. "The kids were disappointed, but this was their decision, and I was proud of it."The drum corps' mission is to motivate people to help the homeless, so Sheltered Reality performs at churches, public events like the Iowa State Fair and schools.

Performances are usually free, but the group requires that schools complete a schoolwide project, such as a volunteer drive or a food collection.

And group members, mostly youths between ages 6 and 18, must volunteer every three months to do something on their own for the cause.

One girl persuaded her family to take a homeless person into their home. A boy helped raise money to prevent a Story City family from losing their home. And a small group painted lines in a shelter's parking lot, saving it thousands of dollars.Volunteering reminds the youths that "no matter how small the actions may seem to you, the effects may be very big," Schlosser said.

The young drummers say the dedication Schlosser shows to the cause inspires them.

"That's what keeps me doing this more and more - to see how the music affects people and how what Steve says affects people," said Jordan Fratt of Burlington. At 16, Fratt is the group's longest-running member, with seven years participating.Fratt has watched Sheltered Reality grow from a handful of members in 1997 to today's 94 members in Iowa.

Since they are spread across the state, Schlosser uses e-mail to let members know when a show is scheduled in their area, and at least 25 youths typically come to perform.

Schlosser himself travels to every possible performance, including those in Minnesota, Michigan, New York and Kansas, where Sheltered Reality has satellite groups.

Groups also will be formed in Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Rapid City, S.D., by next summer, Schlosser said, and 30 other cities and states are on a waiting list.Schlosser is proud of how his project is growing but isn't sure how he will manage hundreds more members across the country.

"This was work - I didn't expect it to become my life," he said. "But it's important to me to continue seeing it through until the end."

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