The singing may have been lip synced and the names fictitious, but the performances were real Friday night at Walt Whitman High School at a fundraiser for scholarships.
Each of the South Huntington district’s seven schools, plus a cast from the Board of Education and central adminstration, took to the stage for Lip Sing, an annual performance featuring students and staff willing to imitate Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, a variety of Sesame Street residents, characters from the movie Grease, and many others.
They were cheered, enthusiastically, sometimes at ear-splitting levels, by the crowds who packed the Performing Arts Center at Walt Whitman High School. The performers brought the same energy as they lip synched and danced around across the stage, sometimes stepping out into the aisles to greet their supporters.
“It’s an event that has kept going over he years and we look forward to doing this for years to come,” said Dr. Vito D’Elia, district superintendent who co-hosted the show with Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Edwin Smith. “We are so proud of our community. Teachers and administrators are donating their time for a great cause, raising money for scholarships. Every year it gets better and better and more creative.”
Each school competed to be named winner, with crowds of students and parents shouting out their school names and cheering on their performers. Confetti and small beachballs were involved.
Ultimately, the panel of judges made up of Juliet Baccia, Jarren Smullian and Willie the Wildcat chose Maplewood Intermediate School, as overall winner with performances of Danza Kuduro and the song “I Got a Feeling,” while Walt Whitman High School’s team was the crowd’s favorite.
D’Elia said that nearly 500 people, including some who weren’t able to buy tickets, watched a livestream of the program.
The program raises funds for scholarships through the South Huntington Council of PTAs.