Lifestyle

See students from five high schools perform at U-46 TalentFest at the Hemmens

Posted March 06, 2020 5:00 am

Submitted by Elgin Area School District U-46

Elgin Area School District U-46's high schoolers will showcase their artistic skills and compete against each other at the 10th annual TalentFest Tuesday, March 10, at the Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Parents and community members are welcome to attend.

Junior Dario Perkins performs his original rap "Unstoppable" at the 2020 Talent Festival at Streamwood High School on Feb. 20. Perkins and Megan Kuntz will represent Streamwood in districtwide TalentFest March 10. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased through the Hemmens online box office, by phone at (847) 931-5900 or at the door.

The contest features 10 acts, made up of two finalists chosen from each of the five District high schools - Bartlett, Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin, and Streamwood. After these 10 finalists perform, the audience will vote for their favorites. The top five acts advance to the second act, where they will perform again. A panel of judges will select the first, second and third-place winners.

From left, seniors Ashley Reyes and Maria Rivera sing "Stay" by Rihanna at the Elgin High School Talent Show Jan. 16. Reyes and Rivera took second place in the competition and will compete at TalentFest. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

Winners receive a cash prize as well as a commemorative plaque. In addition, the school whose acts receive the most total audience votes will be awarded the traveling TalentFest Trophy. Larkin High School has taken home the TalentFest trophy for the past two years.

Abigail Anderson sings "Vienna" by Billy Joel at the 2020 Talent Showcase at Larkin High School on Jan. 23. Anderson was voted to be one of two finalists in the competition and advances to the districtwide TalentFest. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

"We're excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of TalentFest this year and it's been a pleasure to see how much the event has grown in the past decade," said TalentFest Coordinator Jeff Grosser. "TalentFest continually provides a fantastic opportunity for our high schoolers to showcase their creativity in front of family, friends, peers, and community members and we can't wait to see the students perform on March 10."

Junior Lauren Wersching sings as junior Gauri Yadav accompanies her on piano during a performance of "California Dreamin" by The Mamas and The Papas during the Bartlett High School talent show. They finished first and will perform at TalentFest. COURTESY OF DAVE TONGE

The acts this year include a vocalist/guitarist and piano vocal duo from Bartlett High, a magician and vocal duo from Elgin High, a vocal trio and single vocalist from Larkin High, a rock band and tap dancing duo from South Elgin High, and a rapper and vocalist/guitarist from Streamwood High.

This year's TalentFest will also feature a performance from Mariachi Joya Dorada de U-46, directed by U-46's Fine Arts Coordinator Jaimie Giraldo. The mariachi ensemble has grown each year since it formed in 2009 and includes about 125 students from Elgin and Streamwood high schools, Abbott, Canton, Ellis, Kimball, Larsen, and Tefft middle schools.

Freshman Megan Kuntz, center, and junior Dario Perkins, right, celebrate as co-winners at the 2020 Talent Festival at Streamwood High School on Feb. 20. They will represent Streamwood in the districtwide TalentFest on March 10. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

During TalentFest, the U-46 Educational Foundation will host a Wall of Giving in the lobby of the Hemmens. Donors who take a numbered envelope from the wall can pledge to make a donation to the Foundation in an amount equal to the number on the envelope. With this fundraiser, the Foundation has the potential to raise more than $5,000, which will be used next year to help send all U-46 fourth-graders to a performance of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

Jasmine Boyer, Joshua James and Cassandra Valdes sing "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith at the 2020 Talent Showcase at Larkin High School on Jan. 23. The Boyer, James and Valdes act was voted to be one of the two finalists in the competition. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

"The U-46 community is thrilled to have this opportunity to celebrate our high school performers," said U-46 Educational Foundation Coordinator Dawn Curran. "With TalentFest's focus on the arts, this fundraiser has become a natural fit for the Foundation."

Freshmen John Millard, Sam Politte and Christian Freehill, playing a blues medley, finished second at the South Elgin Talent Show. They will advance to U-46 TalentFest on March 10. COURTESY OF DAVE TONGE

This year's celebrity judges are Jeffrey Pierce, publisher of Bravo Magazine; Jaimie Giraldo, U-46 Fine Arts Coordinator; Lisa Medendorp, U-46 Educational Foundation board member; and two students from Judson University, Carter Grimes and Bryan Tripp.

Kira Baasch and Marissa Lullo, both seniors, finished first at the South Elgin High School talent show with their tap dance performance and will advance to compete in TalentFest. COURTESY OF DAVE TONGE

Additionally, this is the first year TalentFest will feature emcees from each of the district's high schools. Nine students will host the event and share responsibilities introducing acts and interacting with the audience.

Freshman Megan Kuntz performs "Angela" by the Lumineers at the 2020 Talent Festival at Streamwood High School on Feb. 20. Kuntz and Dario Perkins will represent Streamwood in the districtwide TalentFest March 10. COURTESY OF JOHN KONSTANTARAS

TalentFest is made possible with the support of the U-46 Educational Foundation, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, and Judson University.

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