Indian Hills prides itself on prioritizing ways for students to showcase their individuality and interests. With an incredible amount of student-run clubs and Schoology shoutouts for students’ successes, it is no surprise that Hills has come up with another way to support students’ interests and push for them to push them into the spotlight (shoutout to Coach Hill!).
This year, the very first Indian Hills Talent Show took place on the evening of March 12, 2024. With 12 great acts, a row of judges, and a trivia round to engage the audience, the night left an impact on those who participated and came to watch. The decision to host a talent show this year stemmed from the previously run Mr. Indian Hills event, which has shown decreased student interest, participation, and funding over the years. A talent show offers not only the excitement of a new event but also the opportunity for all grades and genders to get involved.
The night began with seniors Jeb Tantawi and Krishan Patel acting as hosts with witty and supportive comments up on stage to get the crowd prepared for each act. The energy from both those on stage and those in the crowd allowed the night to breeze by. Each act included an introductory video of the performer(s) that ranged from heartwarming and genuine to hilariously delivered. The night began musically—the opening act included Andrew Jabaly (grade 11), Ian Wuensch (grade 12), Sean Pimley (grade 12), and James Sabino (grade 11) performing “Moving Out” by Billy Joel as a band. This got the crowd into the swing of things, as many audience members, despite their age, could appreciate the song choice. Jennah Tantawi (grade 12) followed, singing her own solo, “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston as the crowd cheered her on. The following act showcased a singing duet and simultaneous puppet show performed by Sabrina Adams (grade 12) and Deb Myhren (grade 12). As each act came to a close, the judges, Mrs. Koons, Mrs. “Profe” Wehran, Dr. Vacca, and Mr. Walkowich, shared words of encouragement accompanied by the cheers from behind them.
The show continued with Carlin Fatouva (grade 12) tumbling across the stage in a choreographed gymnastics routine, and Ashlan Leach (grade 9) followed by singing a solo. For the sixth act, Jennah Tantawi was welcomed back on stage along with Gianna DePreta (grade 10), Gabby Frederick (grade 12), Vinci Introna (grade 11), and Callie Taylor (grade 11) singing “First Burn,” the version of “Burn” from Broadway’s “Hamilton” that was not included in the final cut. A standing ovation was given, and Matthew Khanlian (grade 10) took their place on stage singing his own solo and playing the piano.
To continue the talent, Celeste Daniels (grade 9) sang a solo on stage. Mert Ozer (grade 11) followed, singing and playing the piano, receiving a standing ovation as well. The final three acts included Seulgi Park (grade 9) who sang a solo, Meredith Godfrey (grade 12) and Alexa Yankauskas (grade 12) who sang a duet and included an introductory video that got a laugh from the audience with its humor, and Vidath Diyabalanage (grade 12) who showcased a lip sync performance in reference to Tom Holland’s Lip Sync Battle to “Umbrella” by Rihanna.
While judges discussed the winners, Jeb Tantawi and Krishan Patel had the audience involved in a trivia game about Indian Hills. Eventually, the top five winners were announced in ascending order: Ashlan Leach, Seulgi Park, Meredith Godfrey and Alexa Yankauskas, Matthew Khanlian, and Mert Ozer. As the first-place winner, Ozer gave a short, heartwarming speech sharing, “This has been my best year,” and told the audience that he will miss Indian Hills when he returns to Turkey in around three months.
When talking to Jeb Tantawi, Student Council President and organizer of the event, he shared that for the show to come together in the end, it took a lot of hard work. The idea for the show had to get approval from the administration, and flyers had to be put out to remind students to sign up, given that this is the first year the Indian Hills Talent Show is running. Auditions were held to make sure acts were appropriate for school, and each act had to prepare their performances for dress rehearsal dates and eventually the final show. Filming interviews, editing them, collecting tracks for music, and other information had to be finalized along with backstories and lighting. In between the dress rehearsal and final show, only a week was had for finishing touches, and they all still pulled it off!
Jeb reported that students have come to him praising the Indian Hills Talent Show for inclusivity, allowing for a way to get out of the house on a Tuesday night for some laid-back entertainment, and offering a show that did not need a previous understanding of a plot—just showcasing students and their talent. It is safe to say that the 2024 Indian Hills’ Got Talent was a hit.
