Staff Talent Showcase

On Saturday, November 15, over 575 employees, their families and community members packed the Sheldon High School Performing Arts Center for the first-ever EGUSD Staff Talent Showcase.  The showcase – a special EGUSD 50th Anniversary event that raised money for student scholarships – gave 20 employee acts the chance to display their talents.

The show got off to a rousing start with a special guest performance by the Superintendent’s Cabinet dancing to the Beach Boys “Be True To Your School.”  Cabinet members L. Steven Winlock, Ed.D., Christina Penna, Nancy Lucia, Richard Odegaard, Xavier De La Torre, Ed.D., Robert Pierce, Elizabeth Graswich and Greg Lindner joined Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. in a colorful performance where Cabinet members wore apparel from the district’s high schools.

After Cabinet’s comical presentation, the show continued with the following performances:

• Kerr Staff Quartet (Band) – Cecil Duke, Nancy Kreis, Phillip Mitchell III, Mark Meredith – Joseph Kerr Middle School
• “Better Things to Do” (Vocal) – Julie Radke – Sunrise Elementary School
• “Rise” (Band) – Gator Trax – Randall Rice, Craig Kershner, Bob Eitel, Marc Pepin –Anna Kirchgater Elementary School
• “Adelaide’s Lament” (Dramatic Monologue) – Karen Cornfield – Helen Carr Castello Elementary School
• “Hotel California” (Instrumental) – Midlife Detonation – Randall Rice – Anna Kirchgater Elementary School
• “The Circle of Life” (Sign language performance) – DHOH Pride – Vanessa Light, Terry Orsi, Jeannie Finn, Polly Fischer, Stephanie Rexroth, Donna Dullanty – Irene B. West Elementary School
• “The Greatest Love of All” (Vocal) – Akira Bailey – Mary Tsukamoto Elementary School
• “Can’t Touch This” (Dance) – Sierra Steppers – Jason Campbell, Kristi Matsumoto, Katie Hendricks, Charmaine Reyersbach, Bill Gould, Debborah Flores, Janiece Howard, Sylvia Molina, Jennifer Beronio, Taleen Drolet, Stacey Dart – Sierra Enterprise Elementary School; Kyle Harding – Sunrise Elementary School; David Axtman – Roy Herburger Elementary School
• “Leader of the Band” (Vocal/Instrumental) – Jesus Carrera – Technology Services
• “Trevor Wyatt Magic” (Magician) – Trevor Harding and Michelle Fennell – Pleasant Grove Elementary School; Kyle Harding – Sunrise Elementary School
• “Classic Rock Medley” (Band) – Heat Ticket – Mark Cerutti, Ken Smith, Steve Torres, Emily Diehl, James Collins, Charil Daniels, Darrel Hale, Teresa Sewell –Florin High School; special guest Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D – EGUSD Superintendent
• “Home” (Vocal) – Karen Meeks Johnson – Barbara Comstock Morse Elementary School
• Harris Heartbeats (Band) – Kelly McCormick, Corey Hoggard, Sue Dietrich, Anthony Sanchez, Bridgette Bell, William Bajar, Felicia Bessent, David Baraza, Frances Johnson – Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School; Brie Lang – T.R. Smedberg Middle School; Garrett Perkins – substitute teacher; Kyle Blaney, Kevin McCormick and Fahiem Ahmadi – students
• “Misty” (Vocal/Instrumental) – Matt Morse – C.W. Dillard Elementary School
• “Thank You” (Vocal) – Promise – Julie De Bie, Sandee Christensen, Richard Christensen – Raymond Case Elementary School
• “Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52,” (Instrumental) – Karmjeet Bindra – Florin High School
• “New York City Juggler,” (Juggler) – Grant Adams – Franklin High School
• “On My Own,” (Vocal) – Jennifer Salcedo – Helen Carr Castello Elementary School
• “One World” (Dance) – One World – Indira Bhatti and Kaila Williams – Raymond Case Elementary School; BernNadette Best-Green and Jennifer McDonald – Elliott Ranch Elementary School; Shikha Deswal – Irene B. West Elementary School
• “Teacher” (Vocal/Instrumental) – Ross Modlin, Helen Carr Castello Elementary School

The show closed with a special guest performance by Associate Superintendent of PreK-6 Education L. Steven Winlock, Ed.D. and Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School principal Felicia Bessent.  Dr. Winlock sang “Family” from the motion picture “Dreamgirls.”  Bessent accompanied him on the piano.

Three judges representing various artistic backgrounds volunteered to judge the showcase: Dr. Charles Vail – a vocal professor at Sacramento City College; Dr. Jade Rosina McCutcheon – a theatre professor at University of California, Davis; and Lisa Brown – owner/director of Encore! Studio of Performing Arts in Elk Grove.

In the end, the top five acts were recognized with medals and gifts baskets filled with prizes from local sponsors.  The top five acts were:

• “Trevor Wyatt Magic,” Trevor Harding and Michelle Fennell (Pleasant Grove Elementary School), Kyle Harding (Sunrise Elementary School)
• Karen Meeks Johnson (Barbara Comstock Morse Elementary School)
• Karmjeet Bindra (Florin High School)
• “New York City Juggler,” Grant Adams (Franklin High School)
• Ross Modlin (Helen Carr Castello Elementary School)

The audience at the talent showcase also had the chance to have their say in their favorite acts through the People’s Choice Award.  At the end of the show, audience members could turn in a ballot voicing their opinion for their favorite act.

Crowd favorite “The Sierra Steppers” took home the People’s Choice Award.

Proceeds from the Talent Showcase will be used to provide scholarships for graduating seniors in the district.  Almost $2,000 was raised from the Talent Showcase for scholarships.

The EGUSD Staff Talent Showcase would not have been possible without the support of the 50th Anniversary Celebration sponsors – ANOVA Architects, Cosumnes Community Services District, Hibser Yamauchi Architects, Inc., Lionakis Beaumont Design Group, Inc., Lozano Smith, Inc., Rainforth Grau Architects and Stafford King Wiese Architects – and the Staff Talent Showcase sponsors – Boulevard Bistro, Bubbles Car Wash, Daphne’s Greek Café, Elizabeth Pinkerton, In-N-Out Burger, Osaka Sushi, PepsiCo, Inc., Rubio’s Fresh Mex Restaurant, Runaway Stage Productions, Safeway and Sylvan Learning Center.