Venegaswins PlatinumTicket

A student at Port Moody’s Heritage Woods

Benedict, “We want to give back to the community and see that these students have a great send-off next year”

Tickets for A Night in the ‘80s Dinner and Dance on Saturday, March 4 are $55 via EventBrite.ca. It takes place in the gym at Dr. Charles Best Secondary (2525 Como Lake Ave., Coquitlam) from 6 to 11:30 p.m. Businesses can donate silent auction prizes by emailing Heather Darts at bestgrad2024@gmail.com. Volunteers are also needed for set up and take down

Secondary is off to Hollywood after wowing judges on the hit television show American Idol Tyson Venegas, 17, won a Platinum Ticket from judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on the premiere episode of the TV program’s 21st season

There are only three platinum tickets handed out each season; it allows top American Idol contestants to bypass the first round of the show’s Hollywood Week

Venegas, who performed the song “New York State of Mind” by Billy Joel, first caught the attention of the Tri-City News when, at the age of seven, he took first place in the PNE Star Showdown for his rendition of “Route 66"; after his set, he got a high-five from his idol, Michael Bublé, who was in the audience

He’s also played some big stages including the Apollo and Carnegie Hall, and worked with big names in the music and television industries