On the evening of April 20, 2018, Neshannock Memorial Elementary School students took to the stage to showcase their incredible talents. Over fifty performers, ranging in age from Kindergarten to Sixth Grade, showed off a variety of talents individually, as well as in pairs and groups. Musical.ly Star and NHS Student, Sophia Madison, kept the show running smoothly as the host, while DJ A-Pas provided the music for our young performers!
Spearheaded by NMS Teacher Mrs. Staci Norris, this talent show also serves as a philanthropic event. Mrs. Diane Perrott, former elementary librarian, lost her long fought battle with ocular melanoma in 2014. Mrs. Perrott had a strong passion for the arts and had always dreamt of one day hosting a talent show at the elementary school. This event is hosted in her memory, as well as a fundraiser to raise awareness for ocular melanoma so that we may one day “see a cure.”
Mrs. Norris credits the many volunteers who offered their time, talent, support, and donations in making this event such a success. Mrs. Mindy Nichols, NTSD P.E. and Wellness Instructor, and Mrs. Heather Collins, NMS School Nurse, served as her event co-chairs, while numerous other District faculty and staff members volunteered their time. She would like to extend special gratitude to Mrs. Susan Zaenger, NMS Art Teacher, for beautifully decorating the stage. It was perfect! Mrs. Norris would also like to extend special thanks to Mrs. Regina Manos and the Lancerettes for all of their help.
Thank you to the Perrott and Scungio families for attending this year’s talent show. It was wonderfully bittersweet to have Diane’s family with us on such a special evening.
2018 Elementary Talent Show Video
2018 Elementary Talent Show Performers:
- Mrs. Norris’ Class: Anthony Bender, Callie Biondi, Santo Mutchler, Phoebe Stroia, Emily Jackson, Ava Scarnati, Cara Geary, Maria Keith, Veer Langhanoja, Sean McGraw, Sam Assid, Sadie Moses, Katelynn Pauline, Isabella Restino, Kevin Gierlach, Sydney Williams, and Noah Bittner
- Liam Hultquist
- Viviana Rocca
- Sophia Covelli
- Jazmyn Keller
- Gabriella Antuono
- Juliana Medure
- Sophia Tintsman
- Sienna Karmecy
- Jazelle Mozzocio
- Dance Group: Mara Medure, Nina Medure, Lilly Cunningham, Camryn Lanigan, Mackenzie Hazi, Payton Lynch, Jackie Morrone, Ella Skodak, Gia Prossen, and Julianne Kwiat
- Maggie Mutchler
- Antwon Pacchioni
- Sophia Tinstman and Emma Wilt
- Marlie Ioanilli
- Dance Group: Macey Crum, Carmella Bautti, Katelyn Cameron, Kate Daugherty, and Gabby Quinn
- Nicholas Bender
- Mary Morelli
- Amani Kochhar
- Marlie Ioanilli and Aadyson Sumner
- Ava DeVincentis and Lauren Leonhardt
- Madeline Ubry
- Ana Moses
- Sarah Bober
- Madison Tripp
- Mollee Bevly
- Cheer Group: Jaidon Nogay, Ashtyn Sheldone, and Morgan Farrell
- Rylei Pelkey
In Memory of Diane Perrott
Mrs. Diane Perrott was a treasured teacher in the Neshannock Township School District for 13 years serving as the librarian in the Joseph A. Scungio library. Diane lost her life to Ocular Melanoma on August 24, 2014 at the age of 51.
Diane had a strong passion for the arts and had always dreamed of holding a talent show at the elementary school. This talent show was held in her memory to raise awareness for the disease that took her life. Her wish was to educate as many people as possible about this rare form of cancer with the hope that there will one day be a cure.
Mrs. Perrott touched the lives of many students by encouraging them to explore the gifts she knew that they all possessed. We know that Diane would have been thrilled to see the students expressing their many art forms on the stage.
As one of Diane’s favorite quotes from her favorite author (Dr. Seuss) says, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” We will continue to smile because Diane happened, and we are all lucky to have known her.
Ocular Melanoma Foundation
The Ocular Melanoma Foundation (OMF) is committed to accelerating scientific research and awareness of ocular/uveal melanoma and to provide education and support to patients, their families, and medical professionals.
Ocular melanoma is the most common primary cancer of the eye in adults. It is diagnosed in about 2,000 adults every year in the United States and occurs most often in lightly pigmented individuals with a median age of 55 years. However, it can occur in all races and at any age.
“OM” for short, ocular melanoma is a malignant tumor that can grow and spread to other parts of the body – this process, known as metastasis, is most often fatal and occurs in about half of all cases.
Although produced from the same cells in the body, called melanocytes, OM is different from skin (or cutaneous) melanoma. Ocular Melanoma is the second most common type of melanoma after cutaneous and represents about 5% of all melanomas.
Click here to learn more information about ocular melanoma or the Ocular Melanoma Foundation.