THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 17, 1996 TAG: 9604160120
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Linda McNatt
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Looking for some inexpensive entertainment the whole family can enjoy?
You'll find it Friday night at Smithfield High School, when the Isle of Wight Youth Advisory Council presents its first major fund-raiser and showcases talented young people in this community. And it's cheap; admission to the talent show is just $1.
The council - made up of students representing every private and public middle and high school - is the youthful arm of the Isle of Wight Youth Services Advisory Board. It has been organized for about four years, said Linda Porter, director of the county's office on youth.
But YAC, as it is called, so far has directed its energies toward keeping the adults on the board aware of what's going on with the county's younger citizens.
``They give advice in terms of issues,'' Porter said. ``They keep us up to date on what's happening and represent the schools. They also help to plan activities for youth in the county.''
That's how the office on youth got started. Everybody realized there just wasn't much in this rural community for young people to do. Porter, who couldn't do the job alone with only a small, part-time support staff, first organized the Youth Services Advisory Board - the adults.
Then, when she realized that the adults needed to have more insight into what was going on in the youth community, she got YAC started. Everybody working together has helped the entire county to become involved in trying to provide more youth-oriented opportunities and entertainment.
Recently, Christian Outreach got involved when a representative of that organization went to the county Board of Supervisors and asked the governing body to work on trying to help attract more of ``something for young people to do'' to Isle of Wight. Councils in both towns are supporting that effort.
Meanwhile, Porter said she was delighted when YAC, with support from the adults, wanted to do something on their own. The talent show idea, according to Porter, was an inspiration.
``We have a wide variety of talent,'' Porter said. ``There will be singing, some instrumentals, groups from every school in the county, both public and private.''
Porter hasn't been working alone on this project, either. One of her assistants has been Lynn Porter (no relation), a member of the advisory board who has acted as co-chairman of the event along with YAC representative Aleisha Langhorne, a student at Smithfield High School.
Lynn Porter has been staging auditions throughout the county over the past several weeks. She has been impressed with what she has seen. She has really enjoyed a perky Isle of Wight Academy student, Joy Miller, who warbles country and western tunes, she said. Another student will perform a classical piece on the piano.
A gospel group, ``The Gospel Nubians'' from Campbell Chapel AME Church, will perform.
``The students have really surprised me,'' Lynn Porter said. ``They came out with Christian music, and students from the academy performed mostly classical numbers in auditions. Joy Miller is really spunky.''
Sound like something you would enjoy?
It's a great way to support the youth of this county.
Linda Porter said the students involved in YAC already have decided that any proceeds from the event will be used to further support youth activities in Isle of Wight.
For more information, call the youth services office at 357-3191, Ext. 260.
Or just show up Friday at 7 p.m. at the Smithfield High School auditorium. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by LINDA McNATT
Aleisha Langhorne, right, and Lynn Porter
are co-chairing the youth talent show.
by CNB