By Roslyn Flaherty
It was a full house in Laska Gymnasium for the 10th annual AC Idol. Auditions took place at the beginning of the month, where 16-17 students tried out. Jenna Stringfellow the Family Weekend Entertainment Executive for CAB says they narrowed down the contestants to the nine people who they thought deserved a chance to perform.
“They’ve worked really hard to get here from their first auction to the interviews we put them through,” Stringfellow says.
The nine contestants Amanda Clark, Carolyn Chaplin, Cassandra Schultz, Emily Barker, Kailey Filiere, Kara O’Connell, Kathryn Welch, Kayla Higgins, and Jurnee Serating-Ware performed their favorite songs and the judges picked who would advance to each of the three rounds. Senior Melissa Shaw says she has been coming to AC Idol since freshmen year.
“I think it’s a great competition and every year it’s intense and I never know who is going to win,” Shaw says.
The final two contestants were senior Kayla Higgins and sophomore Emily Barker, with Barker taking home the title. Her winning performance was a version of “Feeling Good” by X Factor’s Carly Rose Sonenclar. Barker says she has never done something like this before and that she is overwhelmed with joy.
“It’s a great feeling,” she says.
THE AC301 