Students at Madison South Elementary showed off their many talents during the Madison South Talent Show on Wednesday, a fitting and fun end to the last day of school.
Talent Show coordinators Valerie Barnhart and Kristen Kerwin said the show has been in production for about a month after a round of auditions. The teachers said about 50 acts auditioned, and 20 were chosen as part of the show.
“It’s exciting, it’s fun, there’s always a little bit of drama that goes along with it but we work through it,” said Barnhart.
“It’s challenging, but the kids love it so that’s why we do it,” added Kerwin.
Students in grades first through sixth were singing and dancing their hearts out in Wednesday’s show, among many other talents. Barnhart and Kerwin said they were both surprised at the talents the performers brought to the table.
“It’s great seeing the kids that you wouldn’t normally see make a public announcement out there willing to do it,” said Barnhart.
Of course, performing in front of your entire school can make anyone nervous. Fifth-grader Chloe Walker, who sang in the talent show for the third time this year, said she was definitely nervous at first. However, she channeled the emotion in her song “Brave” to bring down the house.
“I wanted to tell people it’s OK to be brave,” she said.
Also feeling nervous during Wednesday’s show were sixth-grade dancers Taylor Carrick and Ariah Hall, who performed to “Timber.” Hall said one day the two girls were having a dance-off to that song, and decided to create a routine.
“It’s fun to do,” said Carrick. “I like to dance.”
The show included many non-traditional acts as well, including hula hooping, pogo sticking, riding on scooters and even a miming act. Sixth-graders and brothers Joe and Christian Freeman mimed a couple different scenarios during Wednesday’s show like being trapped in a box or snared with a lasso, all through silent acting.
“We’ve been thinking about it for like, four years,” said Christian, who noted their older brothers are also into miming.
“We got really good at it,” added Joe.
For Madison South’s fifth- and sixth-graders, the talent show marks their last performance in their current school before moving on to Madison Middle School in the fall. It’s a moment Lexy More, who sang “Human,” does not take lightly.
“I tried out this year because this is our last year here, and I wanted to leave a mark on the school,” she said. “I wanted to make memories.”
