The first time I performed at the school talent show, I was so nervous I skipped off stage in a flushed panic immediately after finishing my song.
Two years later, I still have to laugh at that. I don’t remember what made me so nervous, but I do remember how the audience reacted. Smiles, laughs, and a lot of enthusiastic clapping and cheering. I think that’s when I realized that Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School was a very special place.
Flashforward to now. I have been doing the talent show since 2022, my freshman year. I still get a bit nervous whenever I step out on stage, but these nerves dissipate instantly once I start. John Paul the Great prides itself on its welcoming community, and it’s in moments like the talent show where this community shines. During this year’s talent show Feb. 1, I played a song very special and dear to my heart. When I finished playing my song, the warm reception I received still completely baffled me. Here was a whole group of people, cheering for me and making me feel I was a shining star. I’m a very shy person; this show is one of the few events where I feel I can shine, and the school community made not only me feel special, but all my other fellow performers, too.
We always have so much variety at the talent show. I love peeking from the backstage door to watch the other performers — dancers, singers, unicycle-riders, comedians — you name it, it’s been done. Our Options program and peer mentors never disappoint with their choreographed dances. Teachers perform along with the students, including an electric guitar solo, singers, an opera performance, and a very funny parody comedy act. Watching the audience light up and cheer at the end of the show is always exhilarating. But I think the best part is watching the smiles on my fellow performers’ faces as they realize their God-given talents are appreciated and loved.
God gave us all gifts, and at our school these gifts are fostered and encouraged to shine at their highest potential. Whenever the talent show is over, our peers congratulate us and make us feel special. I’ve had people I never talked to before the show tell me how wonderful my performance was, and I love being able to make others smile using my talent. I’m already excited for the next show, and I pray that we’ll get even more performers next year, because everyone deserves to let their gifts shine for God’s glory and for the joy we can bring others.
