Holiday Talent show winners

TEKOA—The winners of the Tekoa and surrounding towns holiday talent show that occurred Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Tekoa Empire Theatre were announced.

Representative for the International Singer Songwriters Association for Washington, Amie Scheitel Music, Amie Czarnota organized the event.

“The event went very well,” said Czarnota, noting that contestants rehearsed and performed well, and were all ages of contestants and winners from surrounding communities. “Everyone came together and gave this event a great effort.”

Judges were Sean McCurdy, Dana Dorsey, Laura Mguian and Bruce Mguian.

“Special shout out to the sound guy, and everyone who set up, and decorated,” said Czarnota.

Runner ups were Italey Scheitel and Ernie Brown of Tekoa, with their Grinch vs. Christmas Tree dancing routine, Sarai Peterson of Tekoa with her vocal performance of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, and Joan Barnowsky of Tekoa with her Native American Dance titled Bashful Eyes, as well as Donald Walker of Tekoa and Santa ID with his I want to be an Elf routine.

Fifth place was Rusty Jackson of Post Falls, with his vocal performances of I’ll be home for Christmas and his original song Christmas in December. He also played guitar.

Making fourth place was Keyarra Johnson of Farmington, with her recital of the poem titled A Christmas Story.

Czarnota mentioned that though Johnson had stage fright at rehearsal, “when the show started she got up there and read her poem like a star,” she said.

Third was Rose Pyat of Tensed ID, with her vocal performances of What child is this and her original song Somebody's baby.

Second was Miyanna Gamero of Tekoa with her violin performance.

Coming in first was Whitney Bloom of Tekoa with her vocal performances of Have Yourself a merry little christmas and Mary did you know.

“The crowd within wasn’t as big as we had hoped,” Czarnota said, “but it was freezing cold the night of the event,” adding that there were also basketball games happening.

Czarnota added that they hope to do this event next year, on a Sunday so as to not overlap with High School sporting events.

There is a video of the event posted on Amie Scheitel Music that has about 800 views Czarnota noted, “Now that people have seen the talent show video perhaps more will sign up and attend next year,” said.

Czarnota is a previous winner of the ISSA Annual Awards, and took home the Bronze Female Songwriter of the year. The event was sponsored by the Healthy Tekoa Coalition.

“There is much talent,” Czarnota said, noting that it was a joy to organize the event with the sponsorship of the Healthy Tekoa Coalition.