Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
Carson High School's talent show tonight will feature a range of acts from dancing to drumming, with novices up to seasoned performers.
Laura Mohlenkamp, 17, first performed at age 10 and has been singing and writing songs ever since.
"It's my passion," she said. "I sing a lot, so I don't get really nervous. Every now and then I get butterflies. I like having an audience."
On the flip side, 16-year-old Karl Nevarez will make his debut performance playing the guitar and singing his own song, "Set Me Free."
"When I'm up on stage, I'll just try to feel like I'm by myself," he said. "If I can get in the zone then it won't bug me."
More than 50 students auditioned for this year's talent show, but the 27 teams were narrowed to 16 who will perform at 7 p.m. today at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.
The show is a fundraiser for the video production students to attend the state SkillsUSA competition in Las Vegas.
Video production teacher Brian Reedy said the show will help offset the cost of the trip, but the true purpose supersedes the fundraiser.
"It's really to get kids to show their stuff and let the community know how talented they are," he said. "These kids are amazing."
For Elizabeth White, it's a chance to showcase a group she's organized.
"It's an extension of a small percussion ensemble we started at the high school," she said. "It's just a small group of kids I got together who want to play some percussion instruments."
Jennyfer Reynolds-Strange said she helped organize the group because percussion players are often in the background and she wanted to see a group that focused on drumming.
"We're usually the background, not necessarily the melody," she said.
The two girls are joined by Brandon Dodge, 15, Keely Cobb, 15, and Connor Farrell, 16, to form the musical group that creates the music by drumming rubber garbage cans.
For tonight's performance, Reynolds-Strange will sing "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker With Flowers in My Hair," by Sandi Thom with "spiced up rhythms," accompanied by the beat of the garbage bins.
"But it's not trashy," Dodge assured.
The winner of tonight's show will receive $100, second-place will get $50 and $25 will go to the third-place finisher.
"I don't think the kids really care who wins," Reedy said. "It's all about the performance. Their enthusiasm is through the roof."