Valerie Cassity
Special to the Sun

The Exchange Club’s annual Search for Talent proved once again that there are many rising stars with a variety of diverse talents in the Kern River Valley. The competition took place last Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Kernville Elementary School, where 21 acts vied for the first place slot in three different categories: primary (ages 5-9), junior (ages 10-14), and senior (ages 15-18).

The event began with an invocation from Pastor Brian Polston, followed by the salute to the flag led by Exchange Club member Dave Freeland. This year’s emcee was once again the talented Andie Bolt, who won the contest several times while growing up in the Kern Valley and has since moved to Hollywood to pursue her career in acting. She has appeared in ER and several commercials, and performs with the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe. Bolt had the audience roaring, hosting the event as Reba McIntyre and joking several times about needing a job now that her television series had been cancelled.

Marissa Skates placed first in the junior division at the Kern Valley Exchange Club’s annual Search for Talent Saturday evening at Kernville Elementary School.

The Exchange Club, a community service organization that is very active in the Kern River Valley, has been putting on the Search for Talent competition for over 15 years to encourage young talent to continue in their pursuit of excellence in the fine arts. None of the acts went home without a trophy that featured stars suspended above them. South Fork School District Superintendent Robin Shive organized the event this year for the first time, with much help from former organizer Aileen DeLapp, Principal of Kernville Elementary School, and enjoyed seeing all of the children perform. “I love that the kids get the opportunity to sing and dance on the stage, and I’m so glad that the Exchange Club gives them the chance to do that every year,” said Shive.

Although there were no losers, and all of the acts were wonderful and unique, there were some definite winners. At the primary age level, first place was given to 8-year-old KiSea Horgan, who performed an adorable ballet-jazz hybrid dance, which she choreographed herself, to the song “Once Upon a Dream.” Second place went to Maggie Guarneros for her lip-sync dance to “Too Cool.” Third place was awarded to newcomer Jack Demming, who performed a song on the harmonica which he had written himself titled “Cats Over the Horizon.” The other performer in the Primary category was Kaitlynn Colson who sang “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” dressed in her 80’s best.

In the junior level, first place was awarded to Marissa Skates, who danced beautifully as Mary Poppins to the song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” In second place was Lyndsay Braswell, who did a flowing ballet dance to “Waltz in Paris.” Third place in the junior level went to Corey Cowper, who played his guitar and sang “Hey There Delilah.”

Other performers in the Junior level included sisters Jessica and Samantha Alvarez, who performed a lively hip-hop dance; Kara Campbell and Tara Monahan who sang “The Star Spangled Banner” a cappella; Cheyenne Foster, Alexi Holling, and Sarah Reyes who did a lip-sync and dance to the High School Musical song “A Night to Remember;” David Olivares, who performed a medley of songs on his electric guitar; Christopher Patino, who played skillfully on the piano both a classical Bach and a jazz song; Destiny Ryan and Emily Hester who performed a jazz dance to “The King of New York;” Alicia Wimmer who sang Miranda Lambert’s “Our Song” a cappella; and Jennifer Yule, who sang “Walking After Midnight” to the offstage guitar accompaniment from her father, Ken.

For the senior level, Danica Vittoria claimed first place with her professional-level dance to “Whatever Lola Wants,” leaving the crowd wowed by her talent. In second place was Emily Carde, who sang a lovely song that she wrote herself titled “Right in the Middle.” Third place was awarded to hip-hop dance duet Lela Loseth and Jose Lopez, who performed well together to the song “Girlalicious.” After the winners were announced, Vittoria was beaming, and said of her win, “It’s a great feeling! The hard work paid off and I love performing for the Exchange Club; that’s what it’s all about.”

Other performers in the Senior category included duet Amanda Barns and Berkley Embrey, who sang a heavy metal song “Wish I had an Angel;” Brittney Burris who sang Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” with great confidence; and Karissa Martina who sang Evenescence’s “Call me When You’re Sober.”

The first, second, and third place contestants from each of the three age categories will move on to the regional Search for Talent competition, which will take place on May 9 in Ridgecrest and will include competitors from Ridgecrest, Bakersfield, and the Kern River Valley. Those who place first in each category of the regional competition will move on to compete at the district competition at the annual Exchange Club District Convention in June that will include competitors from Central California through Central Nevada. The grand prize for each division at that contest is a $1,000 savings bond.

Here’s a complete list of this year’s participants - Primary: KiSea Horgan, Kaitlyn Colson, Jack Deming, Margarita Guarneros; Junior: Christpher Patino, Marissa Skates, Tara Monahan and Kara Campbell, Lyndsey Braswell, Alicia Wimmer, Destiny Ryan and Emily Hester, Jennifer Yule, Sarah Reyes, Alexi Hilling and Cheyenne Foster, David Olivares, Jessica and Samantha Alvarez, Cory Cowper; Senior: Brittney Burris, Lele Loseth and Jose Lopez, Amanda Barnes and Berkley Embrey, Danica Vittoria, Emily Carde, Karissa Martin.