Singing, drawing, comedy, and dance were just some of the talents showcased at this year’s annual Grayslake Central Talent Show. The show is a presentation of some of the many talents hidden in the school, and brings a sense of surprise to students, staff, and community families every year. This year’s show was especially memorable with the amount of variety and diversity on display. Many participants in the show displayed culture close to them, and put on a great show. Along with this, some students showed their creativity with original songs they wrote and performed. Lots of time, work, and dedication brought a great show this year for Grayslake.
The talent show wouldn’t be possible without the direction and help of the students from Grayslake Central’s Public Service Practicum (PSP) class. Every year PSP students, along with their teacher and coordinator Dustin Chierico, work to put together the show. Students help direct, coordinate, and assist in all aspects of the show. Some of the jobs that PSP students take on include directing the show, creating lighting cues, and making sure the students in the talent show are heard through audio production. They work hard for weeks, and make sure they can put on a memorable show. One of the directors of this years talent show, GCHS senior Ava Pietruszynski, said that the behind the scenes can be “chaotic” and running the show had a “slow start.” However, the hard work of the PSP students was seen in the final production, and the students in the talent show truly were able to shine.
Many students were in the show this year, showing off a variety of talents this year. Participants in the show worked hard for weeks on the show, and practiced their hardest these past couple of months. One of the singers, that goes by the name J. Love, said the show and practice was “pretty good.” Along with the singers, the audience was able to see some special performances.
One of the bands, Los Bravos del Lagos, was able to showcase their Mexican heritage to the audience, along with their instrumental skills. The band members were applauded before their performance even began. They sang in Spanish, used their guitars and accordions to create a beautiful performance.
Sophomore Malu Krishnakumar danced the Bharatnatyam, which originates in “Tamil Nadu, and [is] one of the oldest and most common dance styles learned,” Krishnakumar said.
“I decided to perform in the talent show this year because I wanted to try performing solo to see if I preferred it over doing it as a group, like I usually do. It was also to share my culture and push myself to try events I hadn’t done before since moving,” Krishnakumar said.
Krishnakumar also said that she loves “the expressions you have to make to show the meaning of the lyrics. I’ve also had the opportunity to perform it before at a lot of events and places that mean a lot to me, mostly at religious events and festivals, and this school is another place I want to leave my mark on.”
A few participants in the show displayed not only their musical talent, but their creative lyricism too. One of the singers, senior Patrick Henning, presented an original song to the audience. The song was about how people deal with their own personal issues, like sadness and grief, while hiding it from the others. Henning dedicated the piece to his mother and his uncle. Another participant and one of the directors of the show also showed off
their songwriting skills. Senior Kayla Harrison wrote and sang her own original song, called “Out of my Head.” The song was moving, and talked about feelings of love that many people could relate too. Lyricism wasn’t the only creative talent in the show. Another Talent Show participant, freshman Alex Hjorth, showed off his drawing skills by drawing one of his interest, tanks. Alex has been drawing tanks for years, and he takes a special interest in them. Towards the end of the show, Alex drew a tank for GCHS. The tank was customized and specially drawn in the moment to show off Ram pride. After the reveal, Hjorth left the audience with inspiring words – “No matter what, chase your dreams.”
The Talent show is one of the annual highlights at Grayslake Central, a major event that brings the community together. The hard work and dedication of the students on and off the stage created a memorable experience. With the Talent Show, student’s have an opportunity to show off a talent, and show a part of themselves that people may not know about. One of the senior students working on the show, Karina Gonzalez, said “everyone’s talented.”
