No Place for Hate/Witness Inspire Act Talent Show
On Thursday, December 18, Harriton had its first ever Talent Showcase! Two clubs, WIA (Witness. Inspire. Act) and No Place for Hate teamed up to put on this spectacular Music and Arts Festival. The evening featured a myriad of artwork, ranging from self-portraits to aesthetic jewelry. In addition, various members of the Harriton community performed their talents.
From Andrea Salas’s Blank Space to Ms. Harper’s Make You Feel My Love, the performers wow-ed the audience. Who knew Dr. Havlick was the best juggler this side of Pennsylvania has ever seen, or that Kayla Bernstein will soon be giving Macklemore a run for his money?
Another highlight of the evening was Dr. McKenna’s solo on the guitar. Even with two injured fingers, he was able to mesmerize the audience! Besides music, the art was electric. From Mr. Santa Maria’s beautiful and detailed paintings to Sholeh Masoudnia’s gorgeous necklace, the gallery was filled with fine pieces of art.
The AP Physics Electricity and Magnetism class demonstrated their Rube Goldberg machine for the audience, and Witness. Inspire. Act. and the Harriton Soup Kitchen Club each had a table where attendees could purchase items that would directly benefit each of the club’s causes.
“What I find so wonderful is watching faculty and students working together so creatively. The songs took over a month to arrange and reach the level they did—being part of that work is incredibly fulfilling and fun,” said Mr. Imaizumi, WIA’s faculty advisor.
Teachers and students sang together on stage and Mr. Murray’s and Mr. Santa Maria’s art was displayed alongside that of the students. One of No Place for Hate’s student leaders, Emily Rush, was proud to say, “I was really happy to see people of all ages, grades, and friend groups come out to see our show. We spent a lot of time and energy to pull it together and it was all worth it. The show was fun for everyone—the performers, the audience and me.” It is safe to say that the night was a huge success, and the goal of the evening—to promote unity and acceptance at Harriton—was definitely accomplished.
