‘Star Search’ highlights talent as part of Black History Month celebration

The NAACP sponsored “Star Search” was held at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Student Center Grand Ballroom. The talent show, like many campus events in the upcoming weeks, was centered around the celebration of Black History Month. 

The lively ballroom crowd was treated to a hodgepodge of styles throughout the show. The acts included vocalists, rappers, beat-boxers, and poetry and prose readings. 

The list of performers included Bianca Rodriguez, Nina Gordon, Kierra Dixon, Courtney Lister, Nick J. White, Cedric Ansley, Victoria Walker, Bernard Ambe, Alexis Finley, Jordan Polk and Whitney Wright.

A three-judge panel recognized Lister as top performer, followed by Dixon in second place and Rodriguez in third. All three were solo vocal acts. 

 Lister walked onto the stage to a roar from her huge fan-base in the crowd. Her soulful vocals induced a synchronized clap-to-the-beat from the audience. Lister, a freshman nursing major at SFA, was humble after the results were announced. She said she hasn’t really thought about her future as a performer.

“I just did it on a whim,” Lister said. “I don’t usually sing for competition. I like to sing at church.”

In between performances the hosts entertained the crowd with witty comments and reminders of upcoming events for Black History Month. Audience members were periodically dragged onto the stage to answer trivia questions such as, “Who was the first black woman elected to Congress? (Shirley Chisholm)” and, “When was the NAACP founded? (1909)”

There was even a social media element to the show, as audience members were encouraged to engage in live tweets with the hashtag #SFAStarSearch. The hosts read aloud some of their favorite tweets as the night went on. 

Jessica @WhatTataThinks:

“I had a great time working behind the scenes at #SFAStarSearch; there was a lot of good talent.”

 The Star Search was also a promotional venue for the NAACP John Morrison GALA Dinner taking place in the Student Center at 7 p.m. Thursday,.Fliers were handed out at the door, and there was a raffle drawing for free tickets to the event during the intermissions of the talent show. 

The GALA Dinner is designed to bring businesses and organizations together to breathe life into the visions of SFA’s chapter of the NAACP. 

For more information about Black History Month events on campus, contact the SFA Office of Multicultural Affairs, located on the third floor of the Student Center, Room 3.101. Their number is 936-468-1073. 

jcleveland@thepinelog.com