SOMEONE once wrote: "Those who do, do and those who don't, teach."

It summed up parents' frustrations with teachers and highlighted our envy at the mind-boggling amount of holidays they get – even though they insist they work through them marking essays and preparing for the following term.

But it was obvious that writer had never endured Whitstable Rotary Club's annual school Battle of the Bands contest at Herne Bay's Kings Hall.

The third was staged on Saturday. I am now far too old to enjoy distorted "screamo" groups howling into microphones but, like another writer once wrote, I defend their right to do so.

In these days of cut-backs when youngsters are forever complaining, sometimes quite rightly, that there is nothing to do, the annual Battle of the Bands – now renamed Kings 2010 – is a cultural oasis.

OK. Oasis might not be the most appropriate word. But it should be held up as a shining beacon of what can be done when youngsters, teachers and men of a certain age work together.

Whether you like their music or not, these youngsters, often with help and inspiration from their schools, worked their socks off as they honed their own distinctive sound for the big night. Up for grabs was £250 cash and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support number one pop band JLS at Quex Park, Birchington, in June

The winners were an incredibly talented 17-piece ensemble called Slam Funk. It comprised jaw-droppingly good lead vocalist Faustine Buttenshaw, five backing singers, a four-girl brass section, guitar, bass, keyboards and drums.

In the wings, beaming with pride, was their music teacher Nick Davies.

I know Nick of old. He came up with the crazy notion of starting a rock school for wrinklies (over-40s) at Canterbury's Simon Langton Girls Grammar School - which is how I became a rock god. In the audience were fellow wrinklies John Wilson and Mark Gilman.

We looked and learned.

The youngsters obviously adore Nick. It was as if The Dead Poets' Society, Please Sir, Fame and the Glee Club had been all rolled into one.

"This one's for Mr D," yelled Faustine as the band launched into its encore.

Afterwards they squealed with delight as Mr D poked his head into the band's dressing room.

This is surely what teaching is all about, helping youngsters reach their potential and sometimes beyond.

Meanwhile, the Rotarians were once again walking around like rabbits caught in car headlights as 400 youngsters bounced into one another in the "mosh pit" like deranged bumper cars.

Organiser Rob Webb, a giant of a man, occasionally waded in, along with tough-looking no-nonsense doormen specially hired for the night, to ensure no one was hurt.

It was fast, furious and loud with former pirate radio DJ Rob Le Roi acting as compere. The teenagers all left on a high after making the night their own.

Here's hoping the Rotarians recover sufficiently to hold another contest next year because the kids, and the teachers, are all right...