On March 7th, 2024, our Dons showed that they have talent! The National Honor Society hosts a talent show where Cathedral students can showcase their unique abilities yearly. With over 20+ acts, the audience was kept on their toes and was filled with joy, laughter, and excitement!
With returning from Covid, Dons Got Talent was majorly impacted by the pandemic with few audience members and only a few acts. Within the past two years, NHS was determined to make this event more successful by advertising it early and having potential talent prospects audition during hours like lunchtime or break. After talking with Zoey Ronco ’24, one of the several event organizers/leaders, she informed me of all the time and effort spent planning this event. She explained, “Deciding to be a leader on this project meant that I would have to set aside plenty of time to organize, plan, advertise, and meet with other leaders to make it run as smoothly as possible.” Dons Got Talent began its planning back in September. Alongside planning the acts, the tech crew and facilities faculty were involved with giving the setup, lights, and music for the show. Madden Casola ’25 will be filling in the shoes of the senior leaders running DGT this year. I questioned how she would live up to the expectations and better the show for next year. She emphasized, “It will be hard to fill the shoes of seniors Zoey, Kass, and Stella, but my partners and I are excited to plan this amazing project again next year. We have already begun planning and looking at what worked this year, what we want to carry over to the next, and what didn’t work. Next year, we want to continue showcasing our amazing Dons and ensure anyone who wants to can have their unique talents spotlighted. Next year, we want the event to be even bigger than this year! We are still brainstorming ways to do this, but one thing we would certainly love to see”.
Our Dons’ talent had many different variations. By attending the show, I could experience the whole event in depth. Between both acts, I was able to experience performances ranging from singing to Rubik’s cube solving. The show kept me on my toes, always wondering what was next. The audience was energized through clapping, singing along, and even participating in some acts from being chosen from the crowd.
With the project being such a hit this year, it raised around $1,400 for the school! It is a thrilling event that generates funds for CCHS! This money goes into various things such as dances, fun events around campus, and even renovating parts of the school.
I wanted to dive deeper into what motivated students to participate in this event. This was an opportunity for seniors to make memories with their closest friends, even if it was just by sitting in the audience. I interviewed Grace Maier, ’24, a senior at CCHS, and asked her your motive for participating in this event. She explained, “This will be one of my last opportunities to make memories with friends as we finish our last few months of high school.” She made a great point that it is the second semester of senior year, and we only have so much time left. I also got the opportunity to interview Amanda Saeger, ’24, who had another great point of view, and she said, “Every year in elementary school, I was in my school talent show, so I thought it would be fun for my last year at CCHS to do it one last time for good memories.” This brought her back to memories of her childhood before she continued her journey into DePaul University next year in Chicago.
In conclusion, Don’s Got Talent is one of the best fundraising events held by the National Honor Society, as it brings fun and high energy to everyone participating. It will be super exciting to see the following events in future years!
