Harper students win Hawk Idol contest

Three Harper College students would love to follow in Haley Reinhart’s footsteps, right up onto the “American Idol” stage.

At the recent Harper Hawk Idol Contest held during Student Appreciation Day, Linda Collins of Hoffman Estates took first place; Alexandra “Lexi” Burkley, Lake Zurich, won second; and James Ross, Barrington, finished third.

Student Appreciation Day, a traditional semester-ending celebration at the Palatine-based community college.

Collins sang her own rendition of “Proud Mary,” a cover by Tina Turner, as a last-minute entry in the contest. “I was a last minute entry because someone who was supposed to sing didn’t show, so there was an open slot,” she said.

Collins was there to watch another student, Christian Davis, but when asked to fill in, jumped at the chance.

“Then I realized, I was completely unprepared,” said Collins. “(Proud Mary) was just a random choice that was actually suggested by another student.” Collins, who has sung the national anthem at a Cubs game, says she has been “singing all my life.”

Burkley, a vocal performance major, performed “Don’t Stop Believin’,” a cover originally recorded by the rock band Journey.

“The experience was just so much fun,” she said. “It was nice to see so many students turn out to watch us.”

The contestants performed with Live Band Karaoke, a band that sang backup and played the musical accompaniment.

The Harper Hawk Idol Contest was the brainchild of Aaron Wagner, Buffalo Grove, a member of the Campus Activities Board. The three winners were chosen from a field of 15 contestants. Along with Discover gift certificates, each winner won a spot performing at the college’s 40th annual Dinner and Jazz Concert at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, with the Ken Spurr Jazz Ensemble.

Haley Reinhart, a former Harper student herself, sang last year with the same group and has taken classes taught by Spurr, a part-time music faculty member.