By Theresa Cisneros

Dozens of Bathgate Elementary students took to the stage during the school’s annual talent show, which helped participants grow in confidence and ability while also showcasing their diverse talents to the community.

During “Bathgate’s Got Talent – Season 3,” students had two minutes or less to display their creativity for the crowd.

In all, 54 acts — from piano and cello solos to choreographed hula-hooping to dance gymnastics — were performed in two back-to-back shows: the first featuring the “blue” cast, and the second featuring the “gray” cast.

Student Council members served as emcees for both sessions, introducing performers and offering up colorful commentary to lively audiences made up of friends, family, and community members.

“The kids are amazing. They are so talented,” said Sheida Gimenez, who’s served as the talent show chair for the past three years. “They go up there and you can see their confidence building. It’s beautiful.”

Organizers said that while the show is entertaining, it also helps unite the school community, teaches participants valuable skills, and highlights the diversity of the student body.

This year, for example, the show kicked off with an inaugural performance by the school’s STARS (Success Through Academic Readiness and Social Skills) classes, a program for pupils who have special needs.

With assistance from their mentors and a group of fifth-grade helpers dubbed the “Star Girls,” students performed a dance routine to “You Should be Dancing” by the Bee Gees that they’ve been practicing since September.

Principal Natalie Odebunmi said the STARS classes were added to this year’s lineup to give all Bathgate students the chance to partake in the popular tradition.

“We really wanted to make sure that they are part of the show and that they have as many opportunities as all the other kids,” she said. “I am so excited to see this act perform.”

Michael Davis said he was pleasantly surprised to see his son Ashton, a kindergartener dressed in a T-shirt that read “Disco King,” dance on stage with the STARS group.

“He’s so young and doesn’t do much choreography so it was great to see him do that,” he said.

Parents and organizers said having a role in the talent show can teach pupils important life skills and help boost their self-esteem. Odebunmi said that while participating in the show may be fun for students, they also learn about organization, goal-setting and time management along the way.

Students begin generating ideas in January, she said, and work over the next few months to condense and hone their material so that it’s ready by showtime.

“The goal is to perform an act on March 1,” Odebunmi said. “So, we need to identify the steps that we need to accomplish that, and then chunk it down into smaller steps.”

Robert and Kelsey Jones said practicing on a regular basis helped their daughter Adilynn develop the confidence she needed to perform a solo cheer routine during the “blue” show.

Gathered in the parking lot after the show, the duo reflected on their daughter’s progress over the past few months.

“We were just proud watching her practice and get better at it,” Kelsey said, “because she was nervous at first.”

Gimenez said that witnessing the personal growth that takes place in participants like Adilynn is what motivates her to stay involved with the show year after year.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a kid that’s shy, or doubting what they are capable of, get out there and blossom,” she said. “They light up, their confidence goes to 100 and they come back after they’re done with their performance so excited and so proud of themselves.”

Organizers said this year’s show was also unique because of the range of acts that it featured — from Bollywood and Persian dancing to taekwondo — reflecting the diverse ages, talents, skill levels, and cultural heritages of Bathgate students.

Two fifth graders, for example, created their own fusion act, with one performing an Indian dance while the other sang “Girls Like You” a few feet away on the mic.

Later in the night, Brynn Wilmot and her classmates took their creativity in a different direction, performing a song they wrote based on the “Twelve Days of Christmas” in an act titled “The Baddie Chickens.”

“It’s just fun,” Gimenez said. “It’s a great representation of Orange County and a school of today.”

It was a packed house at both shows, and spectators came for a variety of reasons. One student who came out to support her peers gave the performances a glowing review.

“I loved everything about it,” she said.

And Sherry Atash, whose children have long since promoted out of Bathgate, returned to the grounds to support her friend’s son who was in the “gray” cast. Atash, who lives nearby, says campus events like the talent show add to the school’s legacy of unity and camaraderie.

“I love everything about Bathgate,” she said. “It’s a great place, with great people, and great teachers.”

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