Lindale ISD students performed at the Act XIV AllStar talent show Saturday at the Performing Arts Center. The annual show showcases multiple different talents from the student body. 

“I am always excited for any opportunity for our students to be able to display their abilities and skills,” high school principal Jeremy Chilek said. “I love that Act 14 provides that.”

The show allows for students of LISD to audition, regardless of their grade or campus. This allows for a full showcase of the school district’s talents from K through 12th grade. 

“I think having so many different ages is an amazing way to showcase all the talent that we have here in Lindale,” Junior Audrey Yang said. “It’s a great way for younger people that aren’t able to go out and perform in public as easily as others to showcase themselves and their talent.”

The program was created 14 years ago by Superintendent Stan Surratt, who came up with the idea of creating a student showcase. Surratt named the program Act I, and since then the program has added a number each year, progressing to XIV this year. 

“I just think, like anything, that it’s become a tradition now,” Kari McKenzie, Act XIV director and theater director, said. “As we see that number getting bigger and bigger it just creates this really beautiful nostalgia for those who were around when it started.” 

The show has become an LISD tradition following its creation. Many students who participated in Act I as part of elementary events are now participating as solo high schooler acts.

“Things like that are just what’s great about a small town and a small town school,” McKenzie said. “You have some really beautiful, nostalgic events built into the infrastructure of the program, and a lot of schools don’t get to do things like that.”

All proceeds from the talent show went to the education foundation, which works to put money back into classrooms and give back to teachers of the community through grants. Courtney Sanguinetti is the coordinator of the education foundation, 

“Because all the funds go back into classrooms this is such an important part of the fundraising effort of the education foundation,” McKenzie said. “The fact that the kids get to shine so independently, both school groups and kids who come and audition, and in return the proceeds go back in to help fund the teachers just creates that circle of life.”

The program is also themed each year, and this year the theme was aliens searching the milky way galaxy for the greatest talents they can find, which led them to Earth. The storyline is provided by the hosts of the program, who are hand picked students by McKenzie from her theatrical production class. 

“Being able to host Act XIV is really fun because the person I am playing is really sarcastic and funny,” junior Jackson Wood, one of the hosts for the program, said. “I’m really excited to host and to be funny.”

This year there were many unique talents showcased. One of these was performed by 8th grader Tycen Davis, who was able to solve a rubix cube in under 15 seconds due to his daily practice and understanding of rubix cubes. 

“I have always wanted to be able to share my talent with others, so I decided to try out,” Davis said. “Solving a rubix cube is all in memorizing things, muscle memory, and knowing what to do in certain situations.”

The program also included many musical performances done by the students. One of these was Junior Audrey Yang, who both sang and played the guitar portion of the song Fable by Gigi Pirez. 

“I chose to sing Fable because its one of my favorite songs,” Yang said. “The message behind it is very powerful and close to my heart personally.” 

Yang is also a part of the Lindale high school band, where she plays Oboe during concert and solo and ensemble competitions. Each grade only has two oboe players maximum, and in the high school band currently there are only 4 of them. 

“I am very proud of the fact that I play the oboe, and the fact that not very many people can play it,” Yang said. “It makes me feel more special, and it pushes me to want to learn more about the oboe so that I can be better at it than other people are.”

During the last marching season Yang learned how to play the Saxophone so she could march with the instrument. She also knows how to play the ukulele and piano, and is well verse in playing the guitar. 

 “When I’m playing my guitar, I feel more at home with my singing voice and the way that I can express myself,” Yang said. “One of my favorite ways to express myself is through music, and playing my guitar gives me a more comfortable way to put out my voice without it just feeling alone by itself.”

Last year Yang made it to state in solo and ensemble and received a first division rating, the highest you can receive in band competitions. She was also first chair at the All Region Band, which gathers Texan musicians from all across specific regions and assembles them into two All Star performing groups. 

“I was very excited to perform at Act XIV, it’s one of my favorite things to do all year,” Yang said. “It’s one of my only solo act performances that I ever do, so I was very excited to be able to go and perform in front of my community and for my friends.”

Another talent showcase was dancing, which multiple students participated in. One dancer was freshman Emma Desalatte, who performed a dance solo to the song Holland by Novo Amor. 

“I was excited to be able to show people what I do,” Desalatte said. “I wasn’t nervous anymore because it’s kind of second nature to me now.”

Desalatte has also been a competitive dancer for seven years. She has won judges awards at competitions, and last dance season she won overall first place at Mark of Excellence. Desalatte is also a part of the high school speech and debate team.

“I’m really proud of myself for winning overall first place,” Desalatte said. “I know I’ve worked for it, so it’s really exciting to see those results.”

Another type of talent displayed at the show was duett singing. One of the duets was Something Bad by Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood and sung by 8th graders McKenzie Bridges and Melynne Creamer. 

“I was very excited but also very nervous to sing in front of the community,” Bridges said. “It’s a big thing to do, especially because there will be so many people here and it was something new for me, but I was really excited for it.”

Both Bridges and Creamer participate in the junior high choir class and compete in choir competitions. Bridges has won – and is forth chair in choir, and Creamer has won 4 medals, an outstanding musician award, and is third chair in choir.

“I think it’s really amazing to be able to perform in front of the community because it’s like you’re doing it for the people,” Creamer said. “You’re also doing it for yourself, and you’re just out there trying to sing and give them what they want.”