Westbury Talents Shine At Star Search

Local students win big at annual Salvation Army regional contest

Anton Media Group Staff

editors@antonmediagroup.com

In June, hundreds of grade school- to high school-aged students competed in The Salvation Army’s Salvationist Star Search regional music and creative arts talent contest in June, including dozens from Westbury.

Students from 12 states and Puerto Rico gathered in Hershey, PA in Star Search’s eastern division to take top spot in dance solo, guitar solo, brass solo, drum solo, piano solo, vocal solo, drama monologue, youth bands, youth chorus, singing company, timbrel brigade, dance troupe, and/or drama troupe. After “months of practice and perseverance,” organizers said, all participating student performers were excited to travel to Hershey and bring home their trophies.

The event is held annually for student members of the Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory by the organization’s USA East Music Department.

Westbury youth performers took home plenty of trophies for their efforts, including the following titles for Westbury Salvation Army Corps members and groups:

• Level 1 Brass Solo, 1st Place: Junior Lubin, Jr.

• Level 3 Brass Solo, 2nd Place: James Elmonus

• Level 4 Brass Solo, 1st Place: James Dorce

• Level 1 Drum Set, 1st Place: Berthon Sainteme

• Level 2 Snare Drum, 1st Place: Petshley Louissaint

• Level 4 Vocal Solo, 2nd Place: James Dorce

According to the Salvation Army, the international Christian organization is the largest provider of free or reduced-cost music and creative arts instruction for students of all ages, outside of public schools. The organization’s Territorial Music Department exists “to encourage and inspire musicians to advance the global mission of The Salvation Army using every musical opportunity to reach people with the intention of meeting their spiritual and physical needs,” according to the USA East Music Department (USA EMD) website.

The role of the department is “to assist the people of this territory by intentionally developing leaders, resourcing musicians of all kinds, creating new initiatives and inspiring generations of musicians in The Salvation Army.” The goal, the group notes, “is that we would have live music present at every corps, Kroc Center and ARC in the territory and creature a culture of making disciples through our music ministries.”