Battle of the Bands Showcases Talent, Raises Funds

Most kids in our current culture grow up moving from  one organized activity to another. Gone are the days when kids spent lazy summer days or after school hours playing baseball with neighborhood kids in the park, working out their own "pecking order" and learning to get along. Modern kids have their time scheduled for them, with adults organizing and directing every moment.   

Many of Lake Zurich's musically talented kids also have spent countless hours in private music lessons and playing  in the school band program. But once a year,  there's an opportunity at Lake Zurich High School (LZHS) for kids to organize themselves and pull it all together for the "Battle of the Bands" sponsored by the LZHS Technical Theater Club. 

This year five groups of highly talented kids entered the yearly contest and put on their best show for a crowd of more than 200 fans. The "Battle" is a fund raiser for the tech club,  and funds are used to purchase additional needed equipment for the theater department. 

This year's winning band was  "An Awkward Moment." Band members include keyboardists David Cartolano and Jeffrey Kornfeld, drummer Ryan Nelson,  and vocalistss Nick Buto and Michael Wormley.  They performed  "The Office Theme Song",  "Sandstorm," "Invaders Must Die,"  "What is Love," "Pokemon Theme Song,"  "Final Countdown"  and ended with the crowd-pleaser "Don't Stop Believin'. "

The contest was judged by crowd enthusiasm and applause and measured by club sponsor,  Marcel Graham's sound level meter. In this very close contest,  second place was taken by the band "Burnside." The first prize is an opportunity for "An Awkard Moment" to put on their own show  in the LZHS Performing Arts Center.  The show will be sometime in March. "Burnside" will be the opening band for the show.

Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout, or did your local soccer team take the championship? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.

Do You Have Whiz Kids to Nominate?

Each week, Lake Zurich Patch will see suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below or email the information to ken@patch.com. Be sure to include all of the following information:

• Nominator’s Name

• Nominator’s Email

• Whiz Kid’s Name

• Whiz Kid’s Age

• Whiz Kid’s School

• Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment

• Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?)

If your nominee is selected, we’ll contact you and will request a photo. Questions? Email ken@patch.com