Suburbia's got talent: Student performs 'Born This Way'

Nearly 3,000 faculty and staff from Community Unit District 300 - based in Carpentersville - attended the district's Staff Rally on Aug. 12, 2011, at the Sears Centre Arena.

In this video, Jacobs High School sophomore Colin Bokowy, 15, takes a star turn with his soulful performance of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way."

His sincere and incredibly talented performance brought many in the audience to tears and stirred an extended standing ovation.

Colin's most notable achievement before the staff rally had been his participation in "America's Got Talent," season six. He advanced all the way to the Las Vegas round, earning his way past 45,000 other auditioning acts. He made it to the Top 80, and he came just one vote short of going all the way to Los Angeles.