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    Alysa Carrizales won the singing competition at the Navarro College South fundraiser ‘Legacy: A New Voice,’ performing ‘Rumor Has It,” by singer Adele. The event was held Saturday, March 2, at the Groesbeck Convention Center. Photos by Roxanne Tho
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Navarro Fundraiser attendees, fans help choose winning voice

The annual fundraiser for Navarro College South took an interesting turn this past weekend, with a competition among locally known singers, for whom not only judges but also attendees and online fans could vote as their favorites.

The fundraiser took place Saturday, March 2, and was called ‘Legacy: A New Voice.’ The top winner among the six contestants was Alysa Carrizales; with the runner-up Felicia Williams.

Carrizales, a Mexia High School student, is known for playing the ukulele as she sings her original songs, but this time she left her ukulele at home and sang “Rumor Has It,” made famous by singer Adele. Carrizales began her number sitting in an upholstered red chair with a side table holding a photo of the young man about whom the character she played was singing. She wore a striped, flowing one-piece body suit and soon rose and took over the stage, also stepping down to sing more closely to the judges before returning to the chair and turning the young man’s photo face down.

Williams, a teacher at Teague Elementary School, sang “The Greatest Love of All,” made famous by Whitney Houston. She wore a bright red top with flounces and black leggings, or pants. Her hair and makeup were elegantly fixed, and she sang expressively to the judges and all areas of the audience.

The other four contestants also performed exceptionally well, including these:

• Jodi Ballard Smith, a music teacher at Mexia ISD who performs at local venues, did a passionate rendition of “Never Enough,” from the movie “The Greatest Showman.” She wore an elegant black lace evening dress with touches of crystal, and her red hair was fixed high upon her head.

• Kent Kendall, who sings with a local band that performs contemporary Christian and country and western songs, performed the country standard “You Don’t Know Me,” written by country songwriting legend Cindy Walker, who lived in Mexia for many years. Many performing artists have sung the classic hit, from Eddie Arnold to Michael Buble to Willie Nelson. Kendall wore a long-sleeved checked shirt under a brown sleeveless quilted country vest and blue jeans with a beige felt cowboy hat.

• Mike Clements, retired firefighter and a song leader at Mexia’s Northcrest Church of Christ, brought the audience to its feet by singing the popular patriotic song “I’m Proud to Be an American,” made famous by Lee Greenwood. Clements wore gray slacks and a short-sleeved gray shirt.

• Parker Fautt, an 18-year-old Wortham High School student, showed to advantage his baritone voice by singing “Reckless Love,” a contemporary Christian song by Cory Asbury. He wore blue jeans and a light-gray hooded sweatshirt that set off his bright red hair.

The three judges at the event were longtime Navarro College Foundation member Dick Flatt; Wortham High School science teacher, scientist and business owner Sunday Crider; and KNES-FM 99.1 radio personality Buzz Russell.

Like singing competitions on TV, the judges raised signs after each entrant sang, with the numbers 8, 9 or 10 on them to indicate very good, excellent or superb. The judges’ scores counted for half the final score for each contestant, with votes by those listening, whether present or watching online, counting for the other half. Votes cost the voters a certain cash amount, and all the money raised was to go to fund scholarships for Navarro College South students and scholarships for some of the teachers to buy equipment to improve the classroom experience for students.

“We use these precious funds judiciously and identify recipients who have no other means to attend Navarro College,” organizers say in their literature.

Also, since Navarro College South serves Limestone, Freestone and Leon counties, the money raised helps only local students and teachers.

Another highlight of the evening was a presentation of a plaque to longtime Navarro College Foundation member Dick Flatt naming him a Foundation member emeritus in perpetuity.

Those attending the fundraiser enjoyed a steak dinner catered by Leona General Store & Steakhouse.

A silent auction featuring personal luxuries, handy tools and home decor bumped the evening’s fundraising totals even higher and gave the auction winners deluxe prizes to take home.

Also performing for the audience was Miss Texas 2018 Madison Fuller, who did a ventriloquist act with two ventriloquist dummies. Former Navarro College South Dean Guy Featherston, who is the current dean of Navarro Midlothian, was master of ceremonies for the evening. He kept up a humorous, self-deprecating patter with the audience by offering to sing, too, but being unceremoniously turned down each time by current College South Dean Christina Mims.

Mims noted that this was the first year the fundraiser sold out, and when she asked the audience if they would like to see Navarro do the same thing next year, they clapped and hurrahed in agreement.

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Groesbeck Journal

P.O. Box 440
Groesbeck, TX 76642
Phone: 254-729-5103
Fax: 254-729-0362