East Islip is filled with a whole bunch of students who accomplish many different things. Within these walls, we have students who excel in athletics, arts, performing arts, academics, and many other fields. But what about the students whose talents go unrecognized or students that have hidden talents? Well look no further!
This year, the East Islip High School Key Club hosted their annual talent show fundraiser which helped students showcase their talents while also raising money for charity. This year’s talent show was April 22nd and it was being run by members of the Key Club including senior Aine O’Boyle and junior Lauren Winiarski.
This year, the Key Club is donating money to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, but they’ve also donated to the American Red Cross, Wounded Warrior Project, and other local charities in the past.
Mr. Falkman, the Key Club advisor, has been holding the position for 20 years. Initially, he didn’t start the talent show, but since then, he’s just been keeping the torch burning. Falkman remembers going to a talent show that his brother in law was in and he also remembers some of his past talent shows back when he attended East Islip.
“I was given this club and this amazing opportunity to lead this group of students who were dedicated to making the community a better place through community service, as well as fundraising or either local needs and or international needs,” he said. To him, being able to put on a talent show that also raises money for charities or people in the community that need help is “extremely, extremely rewarding.”
“This place has had a lot of talent that is not on the stage, in the school musical, or the school play, or even in the school concerts, because there are some students amongst us that truly are flying on the radar,” Falkman said. “Those kids have so much talent, and to tell them, ‘Hey, listen, I got a stage for you and plus, you can raise some money for some charitable causes.’ It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Eliza Irwin, who is a junior and a talent show veteran, says that doing it freshman year made her feel more welcomed since she’d just come to East Islip that year.
“I remember when I did it freshman year, I had just transferred here from Connequot. I had spent the whole year kind of just feeling like the new girl. I didn’t feel unwelcomed at the school, but I was just getting settled, and I felt a bit out of place and after I did the talent show, and I made all of these connections is when I kind of stopped feeling like ‘the girl who transferred from Connequot’ and I started feeling like a student as East Islip High School.”
Irwin was the winner of last year’s talent show for her solo performance of “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius. She also did a duet performance with East Islip class of 2025 graduate, Keith Klein, of “Phantom of The Opera.”
Irwin recalls the moment where she won and notes that she didn’t expect to win and it took her by surprise. She remembers sitting backstage in her sparkly pink dress with her pink cardigan and messy hair, voting for the other performances when they had called her name. She says that she “felt like they made a mistake.”
Irwin also performed this year along with fellow junior Juliana Giancaspro and sophomore Nicholas Wentgart.
There were also some notable performances by Paige Mathers, Ava Gonzalez, Eme Abel, Lauren Winiarski, Liv Berlin, and the rock band, Pyro led by Collin Weber, who won the crowd and the talent show this year.
Overall, the Key Club talent show is an amazing opportunity to showcase many of the talents that many people at school don’t know about. If you want to get up on stage and do a rock cover or a ventriloquist act, go for it! Next year will be here faster than you think. Even if you don’t feel like performing, buy tickets to go see it and help support a good cause.
If you are also interested in joining the Key Club, they hold meetings at school every Wednesday in Mr. Falkman’s room.
