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Caption: Rotary SM South club president Ken Parker, Talent Show Winner of First Place Coast Hills $1000 prize Isaiah Guerrero and Bob McIntyre, representing Coast Hills Federal Credit Union

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Isaiah Guerrera, First Place (r), Melody McCormack 1st Runner-Up (l) and Emily Rich (c) 2nd Runner-Up

Area teens took most of the top honors in Saturday’s "Santa Maria Has Talent!" competition, directed by Rotarians Georgia Shore and Diane Balay.

Fourteen-year-old Santa Maria pianist Isaiah Guerrero walked off with an armload of trophies when he won first place for his performance of his original composition Sonata in G minor as well as the “Outstanding Teen Instrumentalist” award.  Guerrero was presented the first place $1,000 Coast Hills Talent Award by Dr. Bob McIntire, representing Coast Hills and Santa Maria Rotary South club president Dr. Ken Parker. Rotary Santa Maria South and Coast Hills Federal Credit Union have co-sponsored the talent event for five years.

Twelve-year-old Lompoc dancer Emily Rich won double awards as 2nd runner up with her authentic Flamenco and also took the “Outstanding Achievement in Dance” award.   Adult Santa Maria singer Melody McCormick also was a double award winner when she was selected 1st runner up and winner of the “Outstanding Achievement  in Singing by an Adult”.

Santa Maria teen sisters, Kristina and Isabella Melsheimer, won “Oustanding Achievement in Singing by Teens” and took home the coveted people’s choice award as “Santa Maria’s Favorite”, as well.  The Favorite award was presented in honor of Jeff Kuster, who stage managed the event for the past four years.

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Caption: Sisters Isabella & Kristina Melsheimer took home "Santa Maria's Favorite" honors

Santa Maria soprano Bridget Lee, 11 years old, won “Outstanding Achievement in Singing by a Child”.

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Caption: Bridget Lee won the "Outstanding Achievement in Singing by a Child" award

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Caption: Roxanne Ventriglia and Ryan Miller served as hosts for the event, also performing the opening act

Co-hosts for Santa Maria Has Talent! were business owner/community leader and performer Roxanne Ventriglia, and Ryan Miller, executive editor of the Sun and New Times, who also took home a runner-up trophy from the 2012 talent show with his foot-stomping, entertaining performance of "Trouble" from The Music Man.

 

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Caption: Saturday night judges: (l to r) Peter Garcia, Cynthia Valenzuela, Joe Payne, Amy Curti and Judge Jed Beebe

The talent winners were selected by a panel of judges out of more than 100 contestants of all ages over a three-night period, May 8, 9 and 10. Rotarian and judge Peter Garcia, local psychiatrist, has a degree in Music Education and studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Santa Maria attorney Cynthia Valenzuela is a part-time dance instructor for Allan Hancock College, and for eight years directed the Nutcracker Ballet. Joe Payne is a professional music teacher and the Arts editor of the Santa Maria Sun. Trained in piano and voice, Amy Curti teaches music for the Artist-in-Residence program at Joe Nightingale Elementary and leads Glee Clubs at St. Joseph's High School and the Orcutt Arts Academy. Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Jed Beebe, president of the Santa Maria Philharmonic Society, plays violin for the Philharmonic and the Lompoc Pops orchestra and plays viola, cello, piano and organ, sings tenor and directs a church choir, as well. Attorney Matthew Guerrero of the San Luis Obispo firm of Maguire & Ashbaugh, not pictured, served as a judge Thursday and Friday evenings. He serves on numerous local boards and is an avid supporter of the arts in both Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo County.

Santa Maria Has Talent is sponsored by Santa Maria Rotary South.  Proceeds support charitable causes in the Santa Maria area and provide partial support of two elementary schools in La Paz Mexico.