Two Fayetteville Students Advance on American Idol

Both Ariel Sprague and David Leathers from Fayetteville's Seventy-First High School made it through both rounds of cuts on Fox's "American Idol" Wednesday evening, advancing to the next round of competition in Las Vegas!

Fayetteville contestants 17-year-old senior David and 16-year-old junior Ariel Sprague were part of the evening's earlier ensemble of contestants knicknamed "The Hollywood Five" for Hollywood Group Night: Part 1.

See the competition heading to Las Vegas with them on the American Idol website. The show is in its 11th season and has gained popularity during its tenure among the reality shows.

Both contestants were among 300 hopefuls who have made it to this stage of the competition. Their high school on Raeford Road had posted congratulations on the marquis throughout the season thus far. Seventy-First High School has a focus on the arts and offers theater and vocal classes to its students.