There were soaring vocals, laugh-out-loud skits, and even a few backstage high-fives as students at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School took center stage on Wednesday, May 7, for their annual Variety Show — a night filled with creativity, confidence, and community spirit.
The event, held at. at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School, 5345 W. 99th St., brought together 16 incredibly talented student performers and seven hardworking backstage crew members, all from grades six through eight, to show off their abilities and give back to meaningful causes.
“It’s a show by kids and for kids,” said teacher and co-sponsor Eileen Kennedy. “Scholars at OLHMS took the opportunity to showcase their talents to their community and school. The best part was seeing students surprise us with talents we never knew they had.”
The show featured a variety of acts, including singing, dancing, comedy routines, and instrumental performances.
Backstage student helpers worked the lighting and sound, making sure everything ran smoothly for the performers up front.
Ticket sales, priced at $5, went to Cradles to Crayons, a charity that provides clothing and school supplies to children in the Chicagoland area. Proceeds from concession sales supported the school’s 6K Walk for Literacy, a student-led effort to build a library overseas for children in need.
Students involved said the experience meant more than just performing.
“My favorite part about being in the Variety Show was building my confidence and comfort with being on stage,” said Emily Mikuta, 13, of Oak Lawn.
“I loved being able to share my passion for singing and being congratulated for it,” said Reagan Smith, 13, of Hometown. “I also love that we donate the money to organizations in need.”
With another successful show behind them, students and staff left the stage beaming and proud not only of the performances, but of the purpose behind them.
