Texas Cowboys Host Harvest Moon Concert to Benefit UT Elementary

The Texas Cowboys threw its annual Harvest Moon benefit concert in Republic Square Park on Nov. 14, 2024. A night of performances by Randy Rogers Band and June Shine Band helped to raise money through ticket sales benefiting The University of Texas (UT) Elementary, a Title I school in Austin.

The event marked their first Harvest Moon since the Texas Cowboys, who are known for firing “Smokey the Cannon” at Texas football games, returned to the University of Texas at Austin campus in September.

The men’s service organization had been suspended in 2019 after a hazing incident, involving the death of 20-year-old Nicholas Cumberland. The suspension was lifted and the Cowboys were placed on a probation period in fall of 2023. After the organization completed UT’s Nine Dimensions of Successful Student Organizations Program, The Cowboys regained official recognition in the fall of 2024.

“We did that in partnership with the Dean of Students at the University to figure out how to bring Cowboys back in a healthy, maintainable, governable way,” said Dylan Woollard, Texas Cowboys’ service chair. “That way we can prevent some of the problems that we had in the past and also create a brighter future for the Cowboys as an organization.”

Now, Cowboys is back with Harvest Moon upon its return. Selling tickets at $35 dollars a pop, net proceeds will go to UT Elementary, an East Austin school where students derive from predominantly low-income, disadvantaged communities.

“A lot of these things are our first times,” Woollard said. “We’re still trying to figure it out as an organization, especially for these big, prolific events that we’ve done in the past and how to do it right and how to make a meaningful impact for the [UT Elementary] students.”

It is the Cowboys’ first time supporting UT Elementary through its Harvest Moon concert. The partnership between the Cowboys’ and UT Elementary started in 2023. Throughout the approximate two years passed, admin at the school actively saw growth in their students.

“We weren’t really sure how they were going to fit into our school at the beginning, but it has become this absolutely amazing partnership,” said Sharon Yarbrough, director of development and communications at UT’s Charter School System. “We are so forever grateful to them. It means so much when the Cowboys come to our campus, our students just light up.”

The school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) project-based program, which is not funded by traditional public education funds, benefits profoundly by support from the Texas Cowboys, like the purchasing of a 3D printer or DASH robots for the classroom.

“You do see students bloom, it’s really great to watch them blossom and teach each other,” said Yarbrough. “That’s another thing [the Cowboys] brought to the table. These other opportunities to help us fill the gap and keep those classes alive and vibrant.”

Aside from the money raised by the Texas Cowboys’ fundraising efforts, the mentorship program hails much praise. Pairing Cowboys up with students ranging from first to fifth grade, every Friday, mentors come to visit their students to work on skills ranging from academic to interpersonal.

“It’s interesting when you watch our students and the Cowboys interact with each other, because they’re constantly going up and down to one another’s levels,” said Yarbrough. “Meaning sometimes the ‘boy’ in the Cowboy comes out and you get that kid, and sometimes they raise the level back up to adult, but you watch our students rise back up with them. It’s very organic. It’s very natural. I think it comes from the vetting process of what it takes to be in Cowboys itself.”

As UT’s oldest service organization, founded in 1922, the Cowboys aim to strengthen their legacy of giving back.

“You have to create an organization that’s well versed and collaborates well not only with the University but within the organization. Trying to make each other better, and pushing each other to be better, ultimately creates better leaders and a better representation for the university,” said Eddie Lopez, the executive director of the Texas Cowboys. “When they go to UT Elementary, these kids look up to them. Ultimately, that’s what we want to live life every day for and be known for. And it just keeps getting better every day.”

The Cowboys drive to repay the community that once gave to them. Like Woollard, who grew up facing circumstances similar to the students at UT Elementary.

“Back then in school when I was going through a hard time, if I had something like that, I think it would’ve pushed me to be on a stronger path,” said Woollard. “So, providing those opportunities and resources for these students, It’s really touching.”

With 75 active members, the Texas Cowboys look forward to continuing their impact.

“It’s just a big group of guys who are really dedicated to making an impact on the University and creating a positive environment for all of our students, our faculty, and all the other stakeholders,” Woollard said. “It means everything to me to be able to give back to our university and I’m so excited to be back.”