Showcasing a wide range of talents, 19 student acts entertained a packed house in South Effingham High School’s third annual talent show on Feb. 10.
Sponsored by the SEHS Stomping Stangs Book Club, this year’s show raised more than $2,800 in ticket sales, concessions, audience choice votes and donations. The book club is giving a percentage of this year’s proceeds to help fund a new school auditorium sound system.
The four highest-scoring vocalist acts will represent SEHS in the “Effingham Idol” contest of the Olde Effingham Days Festival on April 13. They are vocalist Gabrielle Sapp, accompanied by keyboardist Chris Warnick and drummer Seth Kaminsky; Brittany Henson (vocals/piano); Jesse Mosely and David Lariscy (vocals/acoustic guitar); and Alex Bowser and Kyle Lankhorst (vocals/acoustic guitar).
The 2012 talent show winners were:
First prize: Los Estudiantes de Jefe, a hip-hop dance group of students Jordon Bala, Taylor Boulding, A.C. Cordy, Jonathan DeVoe and Ethan McKinnon and Spanish teacher Jefe Fortson.
Second prize: Brittany Henson for “Since the End,” her original piano composition and lyrics.
Third prize: Sapp, Warnick and Kaminsky for their rendition of the song “Carried Away” by Samanth Votaw.
Audience Choice Prize: Determined by the audience’s cash donations, the band Cardiophobia won with Josh Anderson, Josh Lancaster, Joey Newman, Nick Propst and Kaminsky performing their original musical score and song lyrics, “Scattered Stars in a Subjective Reality.”
Other awards included:
Most Creative Act: D.J. Medders for his one-man bandstand of drums, trumpet and electric guitar, performing his rendition of the song “Low Rider” by War.
Best Musical Solo Act: Henson, for the second year in a row, for her original song, vocals and piano.
Best Musical Ensemble Act: Jesse Mosely and David Lariscy, duo vocals with acoustic guitar, for their version of the song “The Tide” by Spill Canvas.
Best Choreographed Dance Act: Elizabeth Huggins, McKenna Thompson and Megan Johnson for their tap dance rendition of the country-western song “Little White Church” by Little Big Town.
Most Entertaining Act: Me vs. Society (Aliyah Owens and Mace Harrison) for their hip-hop dance duo routine to a medley of hip-hop songs.
Most Unique Act: Emily Prescott for her slide show, song and dance routine to Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life.”
Show highlights also included Jason Carter spinning and jumping about on his unicycle; a poetical tribute to the troops by Brittany Taylor; original rap from Deonte Brown and Ahmaah Green; Ethan Rahn with an original compilation on acoustic guitar; solo vocalist acts by Stephanie Sharron, Tatiana Velez and Cassidy Edwards; a duo vocalist act, India Nelson and Macy Floyd; and a duo vocalist and acoustic guitar act performed by Alex Bowser and Kyle Lankhorst.
“What I like best is the diverse talent of our students and the way that they are accepted by such a diverse crowd of people,” said SEHS principal Mark Winters. “The talent and energy always makes for a fantastic show every year!”
