Oakville's Got Talent!

Who needs that "America's Got Talent" TV show when you live in Oakville!  Do you have any idea how many ridiculously talented kids we have in this zip code? It's crazy!!  I'm going to focus on just a few today, but I really feel like I could start a column on this!  Are you listening, oh mighty ones at Patch? 

For starters, there's this guy named Alex Mathews, affectionately known to most as "Pop Jones", that I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past 7 years or so.  I first watched him as a budding actor in many a Vacation Bible School skit at Southminster Presbyterian Church.  He's gone on to show us that he can play the piano, the saxophone, the drums, the guitar, and even weird instruments that I can't even pronounce, much less spell.

He's been the worship arts director for about two years or so at Southminster, which means he not only leads the Praise Team by singing and playing the guitar; but also by planning how the music fits in with the worship, finding musicians, etc.  Did I mention that he's just a senior in high school? Yeah...crazy talented.  

As happy as we are for him that he's heading to Belmont University, we're already mourning the loss of his presence at our Worship celebration service.  In my eyes, he's pretty irreplaceable.  I'm so excited to see where he's lead in the future though.  And...I'm happy to say that there's some pretty amazing talent coming up the ranks in Oakville.

So...my next "star" is an 8th grader at Oakville Middle School named Alec Boeschen.  I first heard Alec sing when he performed a solo part of "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz at the All District Choir performance.  I looked at my 8th grade daughter and said, "Who IS that?"  She nonchalantly said, "Alec Boeschen...an 8th grader at my school."  Excuse me...how had I not heard anything about this kid before that night??  He's crazy good!

Fast forward to this week.  He sang in another performance at school, the word started spreading that he had videos on YouTube.  Some of the girls I drive to youth group had watched them, and my daughter pulled them up this evening.  He's so entertaining!  Watch for yourself.  His "channel" is "Aleczander the great."  I'm telling you...this kid can work the camera.

I had the pleasure of speaking with his mom tonight to get permission to write about him in this blog.  She said he's been taking voice lessons at Zarkies, and the manager, Joe Zarkie, has recently become his manager.  He has him in a band called "Pumped Up Sound."  He performed recently at The Goddard School for their ice cream social.  I'm sure that was a treat itself!

Finally, at the elementary level, is a young lady named Emily Kuntze.  I discovered her talent when I was helping to put together the 5th grade talent show for Wohlwend Elementary.  There's a lot of talent there.  My son playing the piano, some comedians, some other really good singers, some dancers, a gymnast and more.  But you know how sometimes you just get goosebumps when you hear someone sing.  Well that, my friends, is what you'll get from Miss Em.

That girl can sing!  Her confidence, her phrasing, her ability to work the crowd are things that just blow me away.  She's just 11 years old.  If I'd have had half her talent when I was a senior I would've considered myself lucky.  She's truly amazing.

We kept her after the rehearsal was over so that we could throw other songs at her, videotape her, and otherwise just soak in her greatness.  I really hope that her family will let us send a video of her performing to Ellen Degeneres.  I just know she'd want her on her show.  She knows talent when she sees it.  I just want to fly out there with Emily when she goes to be famous!  Mmmm.  I can't wait to see where this voice takes her someday.

In an age where so many kids are looking for ways to get attention, let's spotlight their achievements and service.  Lets show them that they don't need to change their appearance to stand out.  Instead of them getting attention for how much they can party and drink a la "Snookie" or for irresponsible behaviors a la "Teen Moms," lets applaud the kids who really are doing something with their lives, and not just spending their time trying to be "cool."  

These are the kids with bright futures.  Oakville's Got Talent.  Watch out!  They may make it big one day!  And we'll all say, "We knew them when..."