FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        February 13, 2025

7th annual Montrose’s Got Talent Competition

Saturday, February 8, 2025, Montrose, Colorado. – The Montrose Education Foundation (MEF) hosted its 7th annual Montrose’s Got Talent Competition Fundraiser.  Held at the Montrose Pavilion Auditorium.  To participate in the final competition acts were required to audition on Thursday, January 16th.  The top 15 acts from 25 acts were selected to advance to the final competition on February 8th.  The competition is for school age performers and all varieties of acts are welcome.  All top 5 acts receive a cash prize with the grand prize act receiving $1,000.

The 15 semi-finalists acts and their talents:

1                Dylan Box •Rubik's Cubes/Speedcubing

2               Kayla Braaten •Vocal•Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from The Phantom of the Opera

3               Lucas Vogt & Jeremy Brailsford •Hip Hop Dance•Darling, I / Thrillin Mashup

4               Maria Sharman •Vocal•Enchanted by Taylor Swift

5                Marcela Velasquez & Ricardo Velasquez •Vocal •Die with a Smile by Bruno Mars ft. Lady Gaga

6               LaNae Taramarcaz & Giselle Theodore •Dance•Champions by Carrie Underwood

7                Audrieanna Sisneros •Vocal•I Don't Wanna Be You Anymore by Billie Eilish

8               Scarlet Sky Verstraete •Vocal & Dance•On the Good Ship Lollipop by Shirley Temple

9               Marin Barnett & Layne Galvan •Lyrical/Jazz Dance Duet•Confident by Demi Lovato 

10             Sawyer McCall •Color Guard•Dancing Through Life by Jonathan Bailey

11              Analise Williams •Vocal•Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls

12             Olathe Mixtapes Acapella Choir •Vocal•If I Fell by The Beatles; Kelcee Budde, Marlee Fenske, Sebastian Gonzalez,
Isabella Haywood, Kiera Iversen & Zoe Ripley

13             Wren Malloy & Sienna Comstock •Lyrical Dance•Unsteady by X Ambassadors

14             Izabella Vigil •Arabian Hip Hop Flexibility Routine•Arabian Nights Remix by Will Smith

15             Thomas Dullea •Vocal•Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra

All 15 acts performed during the first half of the show on February 8th.  During intermission the judges deliberated and the audience enjoyed the MCSD student art exhibit in the lobby.  At the beginning of the second half of the show, the top 5 acts were announced and they performed again.  Laurel Wilkerson, the 2024 winner, entertained the audience while the judges deliberated for top 5 placement.  The scores were very close.  They choose the Olathe Mixtapes Acapella Choir as this year’s grand prize winners. 

The top 5 acts were:

5th place – Marcela Velasquez & Ricardo Velasquez won $100

4th place – Kayla Braaten won $150

3rd place – Lucas Vogt & Jeremy Brailsford won $250

2nd place – Audrieanna Sisneros won $500

1st place – Olathe Mixtapes Acapella Choir won $1,000

MEF wishes to thank all of the acts who shared their talents to make this a show great and to all of their generous sponsors.  Sponsors: Platinum – City of Montrose, Buck & Marsha Miller, Blythe Group + Co and the Montrose Business Times; Gold – Mike & Suzi King; Silver – The Montrose Mirror, The Montrose Daily Press, DWC CPA Advisors and DMEA; Bronze - Montrose County, Montrose County School District, Timberline Bank, Mike & Phoebe Benziger, NuVista Credit Union, Alpine Bank, Scott’s Printing & Design, Deann Balash & John Boughton, Allen & Sandy Head, Montrose Ford Nissan Inc, Hartman Brothers, Stryker & Company, Inc and Alexander Orthodontics. 

The money raised by this competition is reinvested in the RE-1J school district's teachers and students.  It supports the Teacher of the Year Programs, Appreciation Events and a $10,000 annual Impact Award that the teachers are eligible to apply for.

The MEF board is composed of community members who want to make a positive impact in the community’s education system.  Their mission statement is: Education is Our Future.  The board members are: Sandy Head, President; Deann Balash, Vice President and the Montrose’s Got Talent Producer/Director; Buck Miller, Secretary/Treasurer; Melissa Byrnes; Patricia Cummings; Kathy Flower; Matt Jenkins; and Carrie Stephenson.  For more information about the Montrose Education Foundation, the programs they sponsor, become a board member or to make a donation (and a difference), visit MontroseEducationFoundation.org.