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May 2016 Valley Teen Idol By Linda Summers Pirkle If you are one of the millions who tuned into American Idol in the past, you most likely remember the excitement and anticipation leading to the announcement of audience favorites, Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson. Even the drama of voting off talented singers like Kellie Pickler was memorable. American Idol, the popular TV show, is wrapping up after many seasons, but our local version of the competition, Valley Teen Idol (VTI), is going strong. Contestants recently competed for the honor of being Valley Teen Idol, and the winner for 2016 is the talented fourteen year old singer and songwriter, Miss Avery Chapman. VTI and the San Ramon Valley Rotary fundraising partnership provide a venue for vocalists, vocalist/instrumentalists, and instrumentals only, individuals, groups, and
Serving Danville The Art off Survival Exhibit: Surprise After Surprise! By Jerry E. Warren
The “Art of Survival” exhibit produces surprise after surprise for Danville’s Museum of the San Ramon Valley. When Museum officials elected to host an exhibit focusing on Japanese American internment Beverly Lane meeting Takao Fukuchi at Art of camp experiences during Survival exhibit. WWII, they felt some trepidation that people might not even come visit. After all, this 1942 episode was hardly America’s finest moment. Some 120,000 Japanese Americans accused of disloyalty but who were totally innocent were forcibly herded into ten isolated concentration camps. Yes, concentration camps! For many, the label reeks of Nazi death camps, but President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a connoisseur of English, correctly called them that. The agency assigned to operate the camps, the War Relocation From left to right: Valley Teen Idol, 2016 Avery Chapman, 3rd place winner, Breezy Bochenek, 2nd place Authority, cognizant of the stigma of the term, euphemistically relabeled winners, The Major 4, Founder VTI Debora Killeen, Emcee, Terry Koehne, VTI 2006 winner and judge, them as “internment camps” and transformed prisoners into “internees.” Stevie Rae Stephens, Rotary Club president, Jessica Braverman and VTI 2015 winner, Maddie Bartolome. Surprisingly, guests keep streaming into the Museum to check out the exhibit. Included among the constant flow of visitors are older Japanese bands to showcase their talents and also give back to the community. The brainchild of Debora Killeen of the San Ramon Valley Rotary, VTI has been growing each year since American camp survivors, many in their late 80’s and early 90’s, who visit its inception 11 years ago. In 2006, according to Killeen, there were five contestants trailed by their children and grandchildren. They want their families to learn at the final event competing for number one. This year, 20 performers participated in about this doleful chapter in their lives. Most of the families are as ignorant the finals held at San Ramon Performing Arts Theatre with 600 people in the audience. as we are about the camps. At best there was a page or more likely only a “The arts were close to my heart,” says Debora Killeen who is a local interior paragraph in our history books about the situation. See Surprise continued on page 21 designer. She wanted to give back to the community and found a good fit with the local Rotary Club. The website www.rotary.org provides historical details on Rotary International’s establishment over one hundred years ago. In 1905, a Chicago Alamo Danville Artists’ Society Presents lawyer, Paul P. Harris called a meeting with three of his friends. He had the idea to Primavera start a club that would foster fellowship among members of the business community, and this first meeting blossomed into a worldwide organization. By 1921, the By Jody Morgan Primavera, one of the arorganization was represented on every continent. Rotarians number 1.2 million in 33,000 clubs worldwide and work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat ea’s oldest annual art festivals, hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote brings artists and art lovers topeace, and eradicate polio, under the motto “Service Above Self.” gether at the Blackhawk Plaza The San Ramon Valley Rotary Club formed in 1994 and is made up of 42 local Rotunda on Saturday May 21st business men and women as well as many active retirees. For the past 11 years from 10 AM-6 PM and Sunday, they have sponsored the Valley Teen Idol competition, and the revenue generated 22nd from 11AM-5PM. Presented supports regional and international programs. Additionally, the winner’s school’s by Alamo Danville Artists’ Beverly Turner and Michael Rizza at music department also receives a monetary prize. Besides the grand prize winner Society (ADAS), the show is Primavera. for Valley Teen Idol, other categories also get awards. This year 21 schools received professionally judged, awarding cash prizes proceeds from VTI to help local school music programs. Volume VII - Number 7 “Be a gift to the world,” is the motto of current Rotary International president, and ribbons to the winners. Participating 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, artists donate 25% of their sales to the and local teens have been sharing their gifts with the Valley Teen Idol competition. Alamo, CA 94507 (925) 405-6397 Miss Stevie Rae Stephens, at the age of 14, was the first winner of VTI in 2006. She ADAS “Art in the Schools” fund, which Fax (925) 406-0547 returned to the 2016 Valley Teen Idol competition as a judge. Now a seasoned singer benefits students in the San Ramon Valley Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher See Idol continued on page 22 Unified School District. The pairing of fine wine offered by local editor@ wineries with fine art executed by emerging yourmonthlypaper.com PRSRT STD U.S. Postage and established artists from across the Bay The opinions expressed herein belong PAID Local Area makes this a thoroughly enjoyable to the writers, and do not necessarily Permit 263 that of Danville Today News. Postal Customer way to support a worthy enterprise. Since reflectDanville Today News is not Alamo CA responsible for the content of any of 1977, ADAS has been helping to keep art the advertising herein, nor does ECRWSS publication imply endorsement.
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