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Christy Pelland's Blog Entry:

Now and then, you meet people and they instantly knock your socks off! You know in the first ten minutes that this person is going to do great things with their time on this earth because of the passion and talent they possess. with Stand Out Prom we're looking for that 'it' factor but also an overwhelming desire to give back and share those gifts with the community. we found all that and more in this year's winner, Miss Kayleigha Holten, from Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup.



Kayleigha first caught our attention with her incredibly well crafted application that immediately had us rolling with answers to questions such as the following when asked what areas of the creative arts she is involved with,

'A little bit of everything … meaning dragon masks created from bubble wrap and masking tape; hot pink suspension bridges of laminated spruce and gorilla glue, and of course, a bedroom papered with pencil drawings, pastel portraits, and the immortalization of the Hamlet cast in full-color cartoon.'

she went on to describe other areas to including studio art, graphic design, photoshop play, piano, concert choir and her true passion, theatrical lighting design. that's one heck of a list - and i promise you, she does it all extremely well!



Along with a long list of volunteer activities Kayleigha explained where she plans to take her love of the creative arts, 'I plan to utilize college education to pursue lighting and set design, as well as painting, drawing and other studio art forms. In the college setting I will have the opportunity to work as I would in the professional theatre industry as a lighting designer, and learn the CAD program, VectorWorks, for creating lighting plots.' She went on to explain how she's going to do that, 'I will attend Boston University next fall to major in theatre lighting design in the College of Fine Arts. While there I will have the opportunity to take advantage of the theatre program’s partnership with a professional theatre to find employment opportunities and develop the skills necessary to pursue theatre as a career. I am also contemplating a Master’s degree in teaching and becoming a drama teacher.' at this point, we were all very impressed.



The last question before the essay was 'tell us anything else about yourself that makes you - you.' Kayleigha's response couldn't have been more perfect,

' I avoid the norm, so I customize everything. I love Shakespeare and classical literature, including poetry. I love to lead, and have been a class officer all three years of my high school career, making me responsible for planning this year’s prom. I give everything one hundred percent, and throw myself at life. The walls of my room are covered with my artwork and pictures of friends and family—you cannot see the paint underneath. Hanging from the valance above my window is a collection of over twenty scarves, a few of which I have knitted. I wear these all the time, because they go well with my fancy black theatre clothes (remember this), although I love to surround myself with color. My friends tease me for my collection of patterned gloves, which I showcase whenever it is cold. They love my feisty lightning bolt earrings, too. My favorite animals are cows and tigers, and I love the colors red, white, and black together, because they are classy and professional. I strive for this same professionalism in everything I undertake, and work hard to maintain my 3.97 gpa. I have been described as an ‘old soul.’ I love old music, and also have an interest in politics. Musical theatre inspires my life. I can’t get enough of it.'

At this point, i knew we had to meet this girl but it was the following essay that made me think we'd found our winner.

Light exposes things in the theater. It storms the stage, a strobe of lightning shadowing a haunted house. It sets the scene, uncomfortable colors squirming beneath a discordant Renter. It constructs a jail, blue bars crying softly into the bloody red of a Birmingham cell. I decide.

As resident lighting designer at Emerald Ridge High School, performing technical tasks both as a volunteer and a school district employee, I’ve made a career out of backstage obscurity. In the summer before my sophomore year a close friend involved in the theatre department at Emerald Ridge invited me to join the Technical Crew. Of course, I possessed a dearth of knowledge regarding lighting consoles, dimmers, and the fancy lamps that can’t be touched by human hands. Something twisted into a back flip in the region of my stomach when, less than a month after I’d begun my technical career, my friend informed me of my assignation to light board operations for the fall play. I could barely turn the light board on, let alone program and operate the beast. But one hundred and eighty three time-sensitive light cues later, as I watched the fading frosted box of light caress the innocent man lying dead upon the stage, I became conscious for the first time of a dramatic undertone that would become the intense focus of my high school endeavors.

Just as actors craft expressions, I craft moods. Should no change in lighting hurl Les Miserables’ Jean Valjean from the smokey blues of the Toulon prison into the grey, impoverished streets of Paris or the dank greenish hue of the sewers below, he might as well remain forever in captivity, lacking the means to convey his vehemence upon the stage. Such tragedy haunts the designer’s soul. Without soul in theatre, there is nothing, an emptiness as stark as a naked script not yet clothed in its robe of annotations and lighting cues.

Immediately following the enlightening fall play experience, I immersed myself in the technical field with enthusiasm. I adapted a more professional outlook on my dealings in the theatre, which bled into other aspects of my life; into my three-year tenure as an elected class officer, into my seasons as a varsity track and cross country athlete, into my amalgam of community service hours and resultant United Way community service letters. My passion for theatre prepared me for adulthood.

My first business letter inquired into the possibility of completing an internship at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse, where I undertook one hundred and ninety-five unpaid hours of lighting and set design. During my time at the community theatre I discovered the lighting manual for the board at my high school and invested hours learning to program subroutines, effects, and complex lighting cues previously inaccessible to members of the Emerald Ridge Technical Crew.

The internship led to my continuing seasonal employment as lighting designer for Tacoma Musical Playhouse Kids’ Camp productions. I have been able to give back to my community through the four hundred plus hours I donate each year for the design and operation of school events in the auditorium. I aid in lighting local elementary schools’ dramatic enterprises and participate in the high school Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly, which for the past two years I have directed. This year I wrote the script, blocked the scenes (including a Civil War reenactment complete with fog machines and time-period guns), and choreographed the final musical number. However, the accomplishment of which I am most proud is the lighting and set design for Les Miserables: School Edition.

Painfully aware that the board housed in the Emerald Ridge tech booth could not possibly suffice for perhaps the largest production ever undertaken by the Puyallup School District, I employed the writing experience gained in my other professional endeavors to appeal to local community members for the funding to purchase the necessary equipment. Although unable to purchase a new board, I did procure enough donations to allow its rental.

I launched into my customary eighteen hour days, arriving at school in the dark at six in the morning and often not leaving until the nighttime clock chimed midnight. I focused lights, built a rotating barricade, telescoping lamp posts and a flyable bridge, and painted stones upon the garden wall. Everything had to be perfect.

When Les Miserables opened, an elderly man approached me after the first Saturday show to share his opinion that he had ‘seen things on that stage that had never before been conceived,’ and that credit for the astounding look of the show belonged to me. That night I shed my first tears of joy. As a graduating senior, I hope to instill that same joy into the underclassmen I am training to assume lighting duties when I head off to major in lighting design at the Boston University, College of Fine Arts.

I will miss the auditorium which first shrouded me in its comfortable darkness, and then thrust me into full view as last year’s “Techie of the Year,” and earned my school-wide reputation as the “lighting girl who can do anything.” The relationships I have formed through my thespian pursuits will long outlive the transience of their founding productions. Because of theatre, I know, and I am known in, my community. Through the endeavor to procure a better light board I reached outside school boundaries to establish myself in the Puyallup community. In my work on the Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly I developed a relationship with my principal, choir director, office staff, and numerous adults in my high school community. As lighting designer, I earned citizenship in the dramatic world of the acting community.

Life to me is art and the world an empty canvas. I live to create, and create to live. I aspire to reveal the power and beauty of the world to those who view my work, and inspire them to see the artistry in life. In this way, I stand out.

Wow. That's what you're thinking right? us too! After reading through all the applications we picked our top four girls and set up interviews for later that week.



All of the applicants are amazing young women who are truly following their passions for the creative arts and serving their community but Kayleigha had something else, something very special. She was our last interview of the evening, she waited outside the doors of the private room at the Mandolin Cafe, patiently, in her black professional attire, with perfectly parted hair and a satchel full of her work. As we debated back and forth about the other interviewees, you could tell she was nervous as she kept checking to see if we were finished and ready for her.



Kayleigha graciously thanked us for having her and immediately after introductions went into her work. As she spoke, you could feel the passion for her art was quickly eradicating the nervousness. As she flipped to specifically tabbed sections of her portfolio; she maintained a strictly factual account of each event - there was no embellishment need, what she has accomplished in her short career was absolutely amazing.





She went on to tell a few key stories that truly were the turning point in the interview. The first was about her contributions to a local elementary school, where she created a 'tech zone' out of duct tape and crate paper for a young boy in order to make him feel special. Then she casually transitioned into the detailed odyssey that was ERHS's production of Les Miserables which she expressed was her 'baby.' We were very impressed with her initiative to raise funds for the rental of new control board (which is explained in her essay) but were absolutely blown away when she began to reflect on her encounter with an elderly man after opening night of the show. She shed tears of joy as the man expressed his gratitude and then reflected on the moment to us confessing, 'i am so passionate about my art but had no idea it affected others so deeply.'





That was the point when the tears started welling up in my eyes - and i have to admit, are doing so now as i remember the moment. To sit across the table from a young woman with such gifts, drive and insight was incredible but paired with Kayleigha's humble attitude and genuine heart for service was overwhelming. I glanced over at Becca, she knew where my heart was at and shot me her signature smirk & wink. we'd found the young woman we were looking for.



The Stand Out Prom directors spent the next week and a half gathering swag - everything to make Kayleigha's senior experience a grand one. There's the full prom makeover by Che'mel Salon, fashion session with yours truly, custom jewelry from Ada Rosman, grad party invitations by rsj creative, grad party by TLB Events, manicure & pedicure from Pepper's Salon, tickets to the Grand Cinema, shoes from Vixen, a Stella & Dot gift certificate, handcrafted headband from Flourish by Lillie, a senior photo session by Jon+Moch Photography, handmade scarf from me because Kayleigha loves them, giant poka dot swag bag from Tammi, personalized notes from each of the directors and last but not least, a sweet mix cd of the director's favorite tunes! Oh yeah, and lets not forget the $2,000 scholarship!









my last minute addition - because that was one aspect of her application that stood out - dressing up the 'fancy black theater clothes' with a beloved scarf:



The signature STAND OUT pendant by Miss Ada Rosman.



During that time we also contacted the school, her teachers, play director and parents to inform them of the pending surprise. On Thursday, May 6th, the Stand Out Prom directors plus our official photographer, Julie Watts, gathered at the local coffee shop to assemble the swag before venturing over to the school. Most of us were working on very lil' sleep due to an overload of excitement for the big surprise. Personally, I couldn't stop smiling and actually caught myself slightly jumping while I spoke. hahaa.







It was almost 4 o'clock so we jumped in our vehicles and set out for Emerald Ridge. The sun beamed down on us as we strode toward the school - smiles as wide as Texas across our faces. We met Kayleigha's parents and her choir director, Rob Dennis, in the commons and proceeded to the auditorium where Kayleigha was in the middle of play practice.





All of us stopped at the doors for the classic PRIZE PATROL photo opt and then quickly passed through them. Mr. Dennis and I scanned the room for Kayleigha but she was backstage - the play director, Paul Hill, was in on the surprise and called everyone out onto the stage for us.





As the students emerged from behind the sets they looked incredibly bewildered and then Kayleigha stepped out. She saw all of us and it clicked - her face showed it all - the surprise, excitement and happiness. We joined her and in a shower of hugs, explained to her classmates what Kayleigha has won and why we're so honored to have her as our 2010 winner. The auditorium was filled with cheers and clapping - but most importantly, one incredibly deserving young woman who'd just received the surprise of her high school career.











After our quick presentation, we let the cast of Pride & Prejudice get back to their rehearsal. As we exited, Kayleigha's parents thanked us for everything and explained just how excited their daughter was to be apart of this process. Kayleigha's mother recounted how grateful and enthusiastic Kayleigha was after meeting with us and that she'd been anxiously awaiting our decision. She also mentioned that Kayleigha hoped to someday be like us, giving back to others - i have to say, that melted my heart - that's why we do it folks!





We walked out of that auditorium on cloud nine - i looked over at Melissa to see tears on her cheeks and couldn't help but hug her. This random idea that we started with on a whim last year has grown into something very special - a program that truly inspires young women.





A very big thanks goes out to Kayleigha, her family, teachers and theater family. We couldn't be more pleased to have you as a representative of Stand Out Prom and look forward to giving you a senior experience like none other! You absolutely and completely rock Kayleigha!

To see all the photos from the big surprise - head on over to the Stand Out Prom facebook page