Student talet on parade

From a beautiful rendition of a Walt Whitman Poem to an interpretive dance of “Amazing Grace,” from 
a humorous drama teaching us about the depths of the ocean to two songs where fathers accompanied their daughters on guitar — everyone was having the time of their lives at the Newcastle Elementary School Annual Talent Show. 
On the Evening of May 23rd, the Crouch Auditorium was filled with parents and grandparents, brothers, sisters, teachers, classmates, and anybody else who just wanted to show support for the students that performed. 
Now, it would be difficult under normal circumstances to just select one or two of the best acts to write about. But when you compound that with the fact that the amount of outstanding talent was also backed up by the firm confidence and steady stage presence of all the students that task leaps from difficult to impossible. Whether it was a well-choreographed rendition of “The Circle of Life” complete with beautiful costumes, or four boys building a human bicycle on stage (Sorry folks. I can’t explain that — you had to be there), the night was a collage of entertainment, wonder, and lots of real laughs. After all, it isn’t every day you get to watch somebody drown on stage in zero inches of water. 
I can tell you that this writer, for one, had a remarkable time where I could lay down the day’s burdens, and just enjoy myself. And what I was most impressed with was not the fantastic talent Newcastle has in its youth, even though that was impressive. No, it was the school spirit that really got to me. The whole right side of the auditorium was filled with those students who were not on stage. But they were a part of the whole in a big way. When their fellow students were dancing the ones in the audience were dancing right along with them. When a song was being sung, they had their hands in the air waving them back and forth. They clapped at the rhythms, stomped their feet, and more than a couple times they ran to the stage apron in a kind of impromptu mosh pit or flash mob, turning their peers on stage into superheroes or rock stars. 
Once again, I’m reminded about just how rare this community truly is. Last night may have been about fostering the arts in our young ones, but on an actual level, it was much more than that. It was about the thrill of personal achievement and secure character building that comes from facing our fears, and let’s face it … stage fright is genuine for most adults as well as children. When you are on stage, and those lights turn on, when all eyes are focused on you, and now it is your time to rise or fall on your own, fear can make some crumble. Not these young stars. They displayed a vast amount of guts, and, as far as I could see, not one performer froze. 
I think we should hold our teachers and school staff in high regard for preparing our students so well and organizing a show that went off smoothly and with little to no hitches at all. Parents, you should be proud of your children. You raised a group of young people that were titans on that stage. I’ve seen talent shows before in other areas of the country. About the only thing missing from this one was the goofing around, or the students that stood frozen on stage just filling space. That was refreshing, to say the least. 
And then, to the students, both the ones that performed and the ones that showed such support for your classmates, you amazed me all. Keep this night in your heart. You represented Newcastle Elementary School, your teachers, your families, and most essential yourselves with honor, humor, and dignity, and I do mean that. Well done, everyone, and I must add “Bravo!”