Pickens County's Got Talent

The Pickens County community may soon find out just how much talent we've got as school officials consider plans to host their own talent show.

The School District of Pickens County was looking for a unique way to hold a fundraiser for the county's educational programs and they decided to call on Roy Costner, the organizer of Greenville County's version of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader," and Liberty Idol.

When the Greenville County School District decided to try a fundraising effort that was neither a bake sale or a car wash, they raised $187,000 for their educational programs. Costner, who spearheaded the initiative, thinks it's best to go big.

"I was thinking, why can't Pickens County do the same sort of thing and do a 'Pickens County's Got Talent," Costner said.

The event would operate similarly to the popular NBC talent competition 'America's Got Talent.' Costner suggested each of the high schools would hold a preliminary competition using volunteer judges. From there students would compete at the county-wide competition for the top spot. 

The final event would be televised on a local channel by Costner's company, Charter Communications.

Some SDPC board members were excited and supportive of Costner's fundraising efforts.

"I’m grateful he has turned his attention toward the school district," SDPC Chairman Alex Saitta said.  "We need to do more of these types of fundraisers that parents will embrace and less of the ineffective and just plain annoying fundraisers that come home in the homework folders with the kids."

Costner said the program would provide a greater community draw because of the entertainment value, but at the same time it would benefit the community as a whole.

"The ultimate goal of this is of course is a fundraiser with 100 percent of the money being earmarked for a program that you guys decide," Costner told the board Monday evening.

The event would rely solely on volunteer efforts and the only cost to the district would be the use of the Pickens High School Auditorium for an evening at no charge from the School District. Ordinarily the district would charge $50 an hour to rent the facility, according to Superintendent Henry Hunt.

Plans for the fundraising program have not been made yet as SDPC board members discuss more details about how it will be coordinated.

Correction: An earlier version of this story identified the event organizer as Roy Comstock. We regret the error.