The talents and abilities of the entire Westminster community were on full display during this year’s first talent show assembly. With acts performed by members of all grades in a variety of different performances, the talent show revealed the numerous and diverse skills possessed by the Westminster student body.

“I really love the talent show,” said student government advisor Maria Russell, “because it reminds me of just how much great talent we have at this school.”

The show featured a range of performances from different students and was hosted by seniors Jess Neuhauser and Sloan Krakovsky, who introduced each act with a fun fact about the performer.

“It was great,” said Neuhauser. “Everyone was really talented, and they gave us some great facts to use.”

Student government advisor Jack Morgan agreed.

“The talent level this year was off the charts,” said Morgan.

The talent show has always been a primarily student-led event, and this year was no exception.

“For me,” said Russell, “the most important part of the talent show is the students. They are the ones that make the talent show successful. We put the support there, but at the end it’s what happens on stage with them that really matters.”

In addition to the students on stage, however, there is also a unique role played by the students who are off it, providing support and a safe environment to those who choose to perform.

“It means the world to be supported by your peers,” said Morgan, “and to have anything to do with making that possible is the greatest thing ever.”

The support from the student body is well noted by those in the assembly as well.

Junior Caroline Oelkers performed “Gimme, Gimme,” a song from the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie during the show.

“When the crowd applauds,” said Oelkers, “It’s really encouraging. It’s great.”

This support can be incredibly important to success on stage, as it can allow players to feel confident in their performance.

“It’s not easy,” said Russell. “I think it can be really hard to be up on that stage.”

Russell also noted that support from the students has never been lacking during a talent show assembly.

“I think the respect [the students] show to every act,” said Russell, “speaks highly of our community and how much they appreciate seeing their peers on stage. I don’t remember anytime we’ve ever had any issues with that. For me, that’s important. That students value what their peers do during the assembly.”

Moreover, a key achievement of the talent show this year was a wider display of grade diversity in the performances, especially among freshmen.

“It’s probably as diverse class to class as it can be,” said Morgan.

The trend was noted by other students as well.

“We really had a lot of ninth graders this year,” said Neuhauser, “which was good.”

Still, faculty advisors have expressed their wish to include a greater amount of performance diversity to combine with a high level of variety among age groups.

“There are still aspects of culture in our community,” said Morgan, “that don’t get as represented in the talent show that I’d like to see us promote and pull out even more.”

Another student government advisor seconded this opinion as well.

“This year,” said Russell, “we had mainly piano and singing, but maybe next time students can bring in other components as well.”

Overall, the talent show assembly represented a broad coming together of the Westminster community, displaying the special skills possessed by all grades, and the ability all students have to contribute, even if they do so by simply showing respect.

“The job,” said Morgan, “is to get as many different people doing different things that they’re talented at and that they’re passionate about in a safe environment so that their peers can celebrate them.”

That celebration is one that the whole Westminster community can participate in, and one that is crucial to a successful show.

“It’s not just one person,” said Russell, “it’s a group of people, it’s everyone working together to offer these kinds of events to the school community.”

Check out the full talent show!