Music, dance and a charitable cause will come together Friday night when students from Evergreen Park Community High School take the stage for the school’s annual talent show.
The event begins at 7 p.m. March 13 in the Marshall G. Batho Auditorium, with tickets available at the door for $5. All proceeds will benefit I AM ALS, a national nonprofit that supports people and families affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Organizers say the group works to raise awareness of ALS while advocating for research, policy changes and better support systems for patients and caregivers.
The show is produced each year by the school’s National Honor Society, led by faculty sponsor Ben Nesler. Now in its 16th year, the fundraiser has become a popular tradition for the school community.
“The annual NHS talent benefit concert has become a beloved event in this 16th year of holding the show,” Nesler said. “The student performers always do such a great job entertaining the very supportive audience. It is arguably one of the best nights of the school year.”
National Honor Society members chose I AM ALS as this year’s beneficiary from several charities nominated by students.
“We hope that everyone who is able can come out and support a worthy charity and help fight ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease,” Nesler said.
Eleven acts are scheduled to perform, with music making up much of the program. The show will feature vocalists, guitarists and a piano performance by Alex Francisco, along with dance performances from several students.
The school’s newly formed Folkloric Dance Club will also perform. The group began earlier this school year and will showcase traditional dance during the show.
In addition to student performers, a group of alumni will return to the stage. Three former Evergreen Park students from the 2000s and 2010s will join longtime teacher and coach Pat Flannigan for a performance billed as “Coach Flannigan and the Alumni All-Star Band.”
Nesler said the variety of performances highlights the wide range of talent among EPCHS students.
“The talent this year will feature student bands, lots of folkloric dancing, plenty of singing, and multi-talented EPCHS student Adam Bosch displaying his skill of identifying perfect pitch,” he said. “We are talking about sound waves.”
The scheduled lineup, which may change, includes Emari Crossley performing R&B vocals; Riley Pippen on guitar and vocals; the Folkloric Dance Club; Adam Bosch demonstrating pitch recognition; Will and Aiden on guitar and vocals; pianist Alex Francisco; dancer Manuel Fernandez; vocal group Unaccompanied Minors; band Soup of the Day; dancer Alexa Guzman; and Coach Flannigan and the Alumni All-Star Band.
Organizers encourage community members to attend, enjoy the performances and help support the fight against ALS.
It’s cool to see students getting involved for a good cause. Did they perform any specific songs for ALS awareness?