Kiwanis Stars of Tomorrow to showcase young talent

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Among the talents to take part in the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club’s 32nd annual Stars of Tomorrow competition Feb. 24 is the Port Townsend STEM Club’s rock band. The show will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Port Townsend High School and includes students of all grades and ages throughout east Jefferson County. The PT STEM Club rock band, made up of seven members and three roadies aged 12-18 from four schools, has been practicing since January, from two to four hours each week, to present messages about bullying and community inclusion. Seventh-grader Everest Ashford said Stars of Tomorrow will be the band’s third public gig. Freshman Nathaniel Ashford said the band has taken time to have each member practice on all the instruments so the group won’t be thrown off if there are any absences. Nathaniel said the band chose the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” to perform because the Stripes’ Jack and Meg White had experienced bullying, as had Nathaniel during his time in Hawaii. “When you’re home-schooled, it’s not something you deal with as much,” Nathaniel said. “But it’s a real-world problem we can all relate to.” The Swan School Percussion Group will open the show, followed by 22 other acts in musical instruments, vocal, dance and theater, with solo, duet, trio and small group performers. They include the Olympic Thunder Cheer group and two Leslie Lewis youth choir groups, the PT Youth Chorus and the PT Vocal Ensemble. The entries are categorized by grade levels into a non-competitive K-6 division, a 7-9 junior division and a 10-12 senior division. The junior and senior divisions will compete for scholarships and special awards from sponsors. This year’s show is dedicated to Dan Huntingford, a 45-year Kiwanis member who recently died. He created and printed the show’s posters and programs for the past 31 years. Tickets will be available at the door, and concessions will be available during intermission, provided by the Chimacum Band Boosters to benefit their travel. For more information, contact Mary Crozier, the PT Kiwanis Club chair for the Stars of Tomorrow, at 360-531-0200 or at maryc@ptpc.com.