Skip to content

42nd Spotlight on Talent Celebrates Winners!

Press ReleaseCommunity

SPOTLIGHT TALENT 2025
WINNERS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
 
 
 
 
MATINEE SHOW
 
CATEGORY 1
1ST – Adelynn Erickson – Contemporary  Dance
2nd – Amber Luu - Piano
3rd – Addie Pereira - Piano
4th – Ruby Ricardo – Musical Theater
CATEGORY 2
1ST – Akshath Anand – Vocal & Piano
2nd – Gabriella Tigley - Piano
3rd – Savanna Nelson – Ballet Dance
4th – Naomi Reed - Piano
CATEGORY 3
1st – Kennedy Kring – Pointe Dance
2nd – Chloe Adams – Contemporary Dance
3rd – Tenley Ryman – Contemporary Dance
4th – Jacob Burkett – Piano
5th – Penelope Whipple – Lyrical Ballet
YOUNGER GROUPS
1st - Avery & Kailani – Contemporary Dance
2nd – Velvet Voices – Vocal Duet
3rd – AIM’s Melodic Stars – Vocal
4th – Titanic Duo – Violin & Piano
 
 
 
 
 
EVENING SHOW
 
CATEGORY 1
1ST – Tavin Groomes – Musical Theater
2nd – Paul McGill - Piano
3rd – Rio Ricardo – Musical Theater
4th – Jerry Lee - Piano
CATEGORY 2
1ST – Makenna Henry – Contemporary 
         Dance
2nd – Naomi Lopez – Lyrical Dance
3rd  - Anna Hutchinson – Jazz Dance
4th – Logan Gilbreath - Guitar
5th – Srikruthi Neralla - Vocal
CATEGORY 3
1ST – Conway Theel - Piano
2nd – Samuel Wu - Piano
3rd – Reagan Ricardo – Musical Theater
4th – Larkin Mainwaring - Vocal
5th – Alynza McBride – Ballet Dance
OLDER GROUPS
1ST – AIM Stars Acting - Acting
2nd – AIM’s Harmonic Stars - Vocal
3rd – Star Company I – Contemporary Ballet
 
PASCO HERITAGE SCHOLARSHIPS:
Conway Theel – Piano
Larkin Mainwaring - Vocal

 
 
Above are the winners named at the 42nd annual “Spotlight on Talent” Performing Arts Competition, held recently (March 15) at the Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel High. The Matinee showcased younger students and groups, and the Evening Show, older students and groups.  Each of these outstanding talented young people very much deserves recognition in our area newspapers!  A special feature article we definitely feel is called for.  Please go to our website at www.heritagearts.org, to pull up some excellent digital photos, all labeled and ready to go.
 
Here are some additional facts we’d like you to use.  Over 120 talented young people from ages 6 to 18 were given the opportunity to perform onstage at this first-rate facility in front of 2 enthusiastic crowds and 2 panels of professional judges.  The non-profit Heritage Arts Center Assoc. is the organization that produces this show each year.  A 15 member Board of Directors worked for 3 months, and the final production team included 8 additional community friends who gave of their time.  Exec. Producer was Barbara Friedman, and Asst. Producers were Lauretta Brown, Michelle Twitmyer and Laurel Weightman.  31 different corporate/community sponsors generously donated toward the over $6,000 cash prizes, trophies and ribbons that were distributed.  Our Masters of Ceremonies were Clint Roberson, lawyer, and David West, Rotarian and Pastor.
 
The big excitement this year was that, because HACA received a generous grant from Suncoast Credit Union, they were able to award two $1,000 Pasco Heritage Scholarships to the graduating seniors from Pasco with the highest judges scores, instead of the usual one.  The two talented seniors awarded this year were pianist Conway Theel, and vocalist Larkin Mainwaring.  Then in May they will give another two $1,000 scholarships to talented visual artists with their Nereim Fine Arts Awards.  Our Masters of Ceremonies was Ben Alexander, whose banter tried to calm the nerves of the nervous parents.
 
This competition was the vision of a handful of people in 1983, led by Sally Blackwood, of a non-profit, volunteer group in order to promote performing and visual arts opportunities in this once rural and agricultural area.  Spotlight on Talent has grown from 30 acts held at the county fair, to an $18,000 event with two entertaining shows and professional judges, held at Wesley Chapel’s stage-of-the-art Center for the Arts. 
 
It was a very full day, showcasing the amazing talents of 120 young people.     Hard work, discipline, great instruction and sacrificial parenting paid off with a demonstration of the wonderful and inspiring gifts that the performing and visual arts can be to our lives – fulfilling the vision that Sally Blackwood had in 1983.  

42nd Spotlight on Talent Celebrates Winners!

Scroll To Top