Sunday, April 5, 2009

Celebrate Talent



When we started the year we talked about celebrating our 4-H centennial in North Carolina. What better way to celebrate than have almost 30 different acts get up on stage at the Carolina Civic Center and proudly show the talent of our youth in this year's Entertains talent competition, part over our overall talent showcase.
The tri-county competition (Bladen, Hoke, and Robeson Counties) started with the cloverbuds, those 5-8 year olds that perform but are not in competition. After Adelmo Wyrtko and Regina Koch, of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club took us on a bear hunt, a very cute comedy duo of Juliann and Briana Campbell of the Roots and Shoots 4-H Club, tickled our funny bone with a routine that included chickens and roads, and Christian Tice of the St. Paul's 4-H Pony Club was "Putting on the Ritz" and dancing up a storm. The five performers took their bows on the very large stage and received participant ribbons and $5.00 Arch Cards.
Next up was the 9-10 year old junior age division. Members of the SWA step team took the stage and stepped all over it taking 2nd place in this age category. Maurice Rogers of the Lighting electric club took first place in this age division getting everyone moving singing "I'll Fly Away".
As we stepped on to the next age division, the Junior 11-13 year olds, we had a vacation traveling from act to act. We started with a jazzy trio from the SWA 4-H Club and then by going to the beach with Twirlmanina, a baton routine. Rachel Jhala, of the Dirty Rascals Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club took us to India performing an amazing dance routine. T'asia Shelby, of Young Leaders allowed us to sit back and relax as she entertained us on the flute and Megan Hurst, of the Horsin' Around 4-H clubs bedazzled us all with a jazzy dance number. Rachel Jahala took the judges by storm earning the closest score to perfect we had all day. In a close second were Mattie Bishop and Tori Chestnut of the Superclover 4-H Club and members of Twirlmania. Rounding out this age division in third place was the jazzy trio of Jacory Faulk, Bryson McCall, and Janree Faulk.
Our senior division had three acts, all from the Green Acres 4-H Club and they were all quite good. Taking first was Meranda Dennis who, in honor of the 4-H Centennial, recited 10 poems. In Second place were Allen Monk and Dillon Dennis who did a martial arts display for us and taught some self defense techniques to the audience. Rounding out the top three was the bravest of all, Josh Snodgrass who sang "Amazing Grace" a cappella.
We want to give special thanks to our Entertains judges, Cathy Brown, Valerie Hammonds, and Justin Meirs. As well as our artastic judge Angela Carter.
Our Artastic (non performing art entries) were as always quite good and on display in the lobby at the Carolina Civic Center. Our artists did paintings, photography, wood carvings, paper mosaics and much more.
In the cloverbud division the youth received a participation ribbon for their hard work. Dakota Strickland, Julianna Campbell, Madilyn Parrish, and Brianna Campbell. In the Junior 9-10 age division, Jasmine McBride took first place with her original beaded bracelet followed by Sarah Willis and then Aujay Jhala and Alexandra Evans.
In the Junior 11-13 age division Rachel Jhala placed first with her paper mosaic self portrait while a wonderful piece of pottery molded by Claire Parrish and Jerelyn Hill took third with a big initial J. Laura Willis and Hayley Hall rounded out the category.
The senior division was tight with first place going to an ink drawing of a couple in the backseat of a car created by Victoria Evans. Wood etchings and carvings created by Luke Hill and Joshua Snodgrass took second and third place. Allen Monk, Dillon Dennis and Meranda Dennis rounded out the senior division in artastic.

1 comment:

kool_kids said...

What a great talent showcase! I like the idea of having at the Carolina Civic Center. There was some great talent there.