The West Sequoia League (WSL) Talent Show highlighted a wide variety of gifted individuals, engaging the crowd in entertaining acts including standup comedy, duets and a guitar solo, Feb. 23.

Each year for the annual Talent Show, contestants travel to schools in the WSL leagues, competing against each other for a accolades. To conclude the event, participants from FC, Caruthers High Schools, Mendota High School, Tranquillity High School, Firebaugh, Fowler High School and Parlier High School preformed in Ground Zero, where the top three acts were announced.

As the show’s competitors travel around the league, their scores are tallied at each performance to produce a winner. Placing participants were rewarded with a cash prize: $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third.

Fifth place went to FC’s Ivette Ibarra with her rendition of “Revelation Song by Craig and Dean Phillips,” fourth to Stanley from Mendota with an original guitar solo entitled “Hungry Caterpillar,” Marissa Suarez and Bianca DeLaTorre from Caruthers received third with their duet and Tranquility’s Alejandra Sehagun took second with “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys.

This year’s first place title went to Remember the Messengers, a band composed of five members from Fowler. Choosing the song “Heaven” by Los Lonely Boys proved to be a good fit for lead singer, Noe Garza, as the band’s six months of practice paid off.

“This surprised all of us,” Garza said. “We just came in here to have fun so to win the Talent Show made it even better. It was a pretty cool experience with the different crowds, different atmospheres; a lot of fun.”

One unique act was a rap composed and performed by Fowler’s Luke Shrestha, known by his stage name as “Biggy Red,” entitled “So Alone.” Shrestha encouraged the audience to listen to the lyrics as they were inspired by observations from his own struggles.

“I’ve been rapping for a little bit — over a year, probably — so I just decided to give it a try,” Shrestha said. “I’ve performed before, but in front of smaller groups more, so this was my first big one. I wrote the song. I’ve seen stuff in the world and I just write about it. I wrote the piano part and everything and stuff just comes to me like that.”

As a third-year attendee of the WSL Talent Show, Ashley Erickson, ’13, felt that the crowd’s atmosphere improved from previous contests’, due to the performers’ enthusiasm.

“I thought this year’s [Talent Show] was actually a lot better than last year’s,” Erickson said. “It seemed like there were a lot more people who were more excited about what they did and I feel like the crowd responded a lot better this year. Everyone was really positive and energetic and I just love the Talent Show because it’s amazing to see so many people who can do things that I could never do.”

Though most competitors’ main objective was to win the grand prize, Baltazar Mendez, a member of his two-man band The Nobodies, saw the Talent Show as an enjoyable opportunity to make the most of his senior year.

“It was my last year and I wanted to do something cool,” Mendez said. “We had a lot of fun. I wasn’t really expecting to win because there’s a lot of people here with a lot more talent. We really just did it to have fun.”

Secretary Brenda Warkentin, a second-time judge for FC, found pleasure in witnessing the diversity of gifts produced from within the Central Valley.

“I thought it was a good group of talented kids,” Warkentin said. “There was a good variety as far as the bands; there were more than just single acts. I very much enjoy watching the talent that God has given to these kids.”

FC’s ASB President, Chandler Vargas, ’12, believed this year’s acts demonstrated valid dexterity from a wide mix of areas.

“I thought there was a wide range of talent this year,” Vargas said. “The competition seemed to be high and pretty fairly matched. Overall, I think this year’s Talent Show was a success and showcased some of the quality talent within our league.”

For more information, read the Talent Show lauds league performers. For more information on student leadership or on how to participate in the WSL Talent Show, contact Robert Foshee.