PICKENS – Ella Hennessee, a sixth-grader from Gettys Middle School, has been named one of 11 finalists from across South Carolina in Comporium’s “This School’s Got Talent” competition, organized by SC Future Minds with the support of the SC Arts Commission.
Hennessee, 11, and the other finalists have a chance to win the $500 first prize and perform before hundreds of state leaders at the SC Teacher of the Year Celebration April 20 in Columbia.
Voting is underway until midnight Feb. 15 at www.scfutureminds.org and the South Carolina Future Minds Facebook page.
Finalists were chosen with help from members of the SC Alliance for Arts Education and members of “Hootie and the Blowfish.”
The other finalists are Trey Carter, 16, Kershaw County School District; Macy Crawford, 14, Saluda High School; Tre’Mari Cunningham, 13, Jasper County School District; Taylor Goodwin, 16, Richland School District One; Anisha Green, 18, Darlington County School District; Serenity Higgins, 15, Richland School District One; LRHS Guitar, a four-person guitar group from Richland School District One; Megan Nicholson, Chesterfield County School District; Off the Wall, a group from Gaffney High School; and Sampson Piermattei, 13, Fort Mill School District.
“This School’s Got Talent” competition for performing artists is in its sixth year.
Beginning Feb. 22, video entries will be accepted for “This School’s Got STEM,” a competition for science, technology, engineering and math students. Both competitions are sponsored by Comporium and South Carolina Future Minds, the non-profit organizing private support for public schools.
Finalists in the “This School’s Got STEM” contest will be selected with help from members of the STEM Centers of South Carolina and representatives of South Carolina’s STEM businesses and industries.
There is no fee to enter, and both contests are open to any public school student in South Carolina in kindergarten through 12th grade. To enter, adults 18 or older may submit videos of students showcasing their skills on the South Carolina Future Minds Facebook page.
Videos must be at least three minutes in length and may not exceed five minutes in length. Complete rules are posted on the South Carolina Future Minds Facebook page.
Those interested in entering the “This School’s Got STEM” contest need to prepare videos of their projects to be entered starting Feb. 22 until March 4. Finalist videos from both contests will then be posted online and open to a public vote. The first, second and third place finishers in both contests will win $500, $250 and $100 respectively.
The student or group deemed most talented in the arts will earn the opportunity to perform live before top education, business and government leaders at the “South Carolina Teacher of the Year Celebration” on April 20th at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
Winners of the STEM competition will be invited to attend the SC Teacher of the Year Celebration as special guests and to a S.C. STEM festival.