First, a big congratulations to Logan, who sang in French for the first time in his life, supported by talented musicians: Frédérick, Zoey and Mike. Their authenticity on stage truly resonated with everyone.

Claudia and Alix delivered a beautiful performance of “La Seine.” Alix, participating for the second year, and Claudia, our new vocal talent, brought a refreshing energy and remarkable skill to the stage.

Amber, returning for her second year, put incredible seriousness into her practice, and it showed. It’s no surprise that her performance at the piano was impeccable, and her song, dedicated to her grandmother, was deeply touching.

Grace took on an impressive challenge: singing Moana in French, a language she has only been learning for two months. Everyone, including me, is eagerly looking forward to Cafe Capp in March!

The Scarabées — Aidan, Bryson, Holden, Jose, and Agustin — earned second place with “Let It Be” in French. For Aidan, it was also his first time singing in French. The joy they brought to the stage was contagious, and Jose’s guitar solo was outstanding.

Deseray, in third place, presented her original song in French and sang in Inuktitut, touching both the judges and the audience with her emotion and sincerity.

Performing on stage playing one instrument was definitely not enough of a challenge for that talented young artist. Katalina played both parts of a duet on piano AND cello by herself and really impressed everyone.

Our first-place winners were Claudia, Ningyi, Katalina, Dahlia, Keira and Alix. Their audacious performance of “Les Champs Élysées” transformed the stage into a Parisian street, complete with props and role-playing. They owned the stage at 110%, connecting beautifully with each other and with the audience.

The three winning performances will represent Stanstead College at the regional finals in April. I am sure they will all be adequately prepared and will proudly represent Stanstead College while facing the other schools of the Eastern Townships, with the guidance and leadership of Dahlia and Alix, who are going to regionals for the second year in a row.

Thank you to all participants for stepping out of your comfort zones and bringing your energy to the Haskell Opera House last Friday night.

A huge thank-you to our stage crew, who worked tirelessly to make the show run smoothly. Special thanks to Milla, our stage manager, for the second year in a row — she is SOOOOO useful, always keeping everything on track, and we will miss her greatly.