Tomorrow looks bright for North Aurora singer

"Bet your bottom dollar" that Fearn Elementary School's first-grader-to-be Sydney Poss will be one of the future stars on stage at West Aurora High School in another nine or 10 years.

The 5-year-old North Aurora girl was the winner of April's Fearn Idol contest beating out a dozen older boys and girls in the contest with her a cappella version of "Tomorrow" from the Broadway musical "Annie."

"A neighbor gave Sydney a copy of the movie "Annie" when she was two years old," her mother Laura said. "We got that movie and she started singing everything."

Her parents, Steve and Laura, have had their eyes open to give Sydney the opportunity to use her talents ever since.

"When we read about Fearn Idol contest in the school's newsletter, Sydney said she'd love to do it," Poss said. "We didn't have any music to go along with it and she did great singing it a cappella."

In addition to the requisite summer swim lessons, Sydney is also practicing her piano (she just played "Camptown Races" at a recital); performing with the Swedish American Children's Choir; and is singing at the Kane County Fair.

Laura says Sydney is preparing to sing "Tomorrow" again next month when she competes in the 25th annual Kane County Fair Talent Contest.

"They took nine of the 19 kids at the auditions and she'll perform on the main stage on Monday, July 14, at the fair," Poss said.

And Sydney's singing is taking her family to Door County, Wis., this weekend with the children's choir.

"We saw the choir at Swedish Days a couple of years ago and Sydney asked to be in it someday," said Poss, who acknowledges her whole side of the family is "Swedish, Swedish, Swedish."

Marguerite Karl, of St. Charles, heads up the 10-year-old choir that includes her own two children.

Karl said Sydney is one of the littlest members of the group.

"She is a very talented little girl. I just love her," Karl said. "She is a bundle of dynamite."

Every two years the group takes a road trip to showcase their talents.

The nonprofit group saves money earned from concerts and from their two yearly fundraisers: Swedish Christmas-Santa Lucia Concert in December and a Swedish Pancake Breakfast in the Tri-Cities each spring, to fund the trips.

In the past 10 years they have performed at the Mall of America in Minnesota, the American Girl Place and at the opening of the IKEA store in Bolingbrook, Karl said.

Karl is a former high school choir director and came from a bilingual Swedish home.

"I sensed a real need to pass on the heritage to the second generation," she said.

The group sings several traditional songs in the original Swedish language as well as English arrangements.

"Our trip to Door County will be half performance and half sightseeing and educational," Karl said.

Sydney is one of 25 children between the ages of 5 and 17 in the choir.

"She's in the Little Swede Hearts group," Laura said. "As long as she's loving it, we're happy to have her do things."

The choir will take a motor coach up to Wisconsin with some parents on board while the rest of the families will trail behind in their own cars.

Laura is riding with Sydney on the bus while dad and 10-month-old Caden will follow along with Laura's parents from Barrington.

In her down time Sydney is also practicing her singing with the American Idol Wii game she got for her dad for Father's Day.

I asked Sydney what she liked best about that game and she started singing and dancing "I'm walking on sunshine, and don't it feel good-. yeah!"

For more information about the Swedish Choir, call Karl at (630) 414-9700.