Popcert 35, which raised money for the art department through the help of Ms. Blanchard and Ms. Bowden, showed off the talented students of Rutherford High School on April 11th, 2019.
Laura Savitsky, a performer at the event said, “Being a part of Popcert was a really wonderful experience. Everyone involved from Mrs. Blanchard and Mrs. Bowden to the other performers were all extremely encouraging and supportive. Getting the opportunity to work with other talented musicians was a tremendous honor and will be something I remember as one of my favorite high school experiences.”
The audition process allowed students to join Ms. Blanchard, Ms. Bowden and the rest of the Popcert team. Ms. Bowden, a teacher at RHS, who along with Ms. Blanchard put Popcert together said, ” I love that this program is all-inclusive, that it’s for anyone with a passion for music or dance or spoken word poetry. It’s also one of the most highly attended events of the school year, and I think that speaks volumes to the supportive nature of the students we have here.”
The audience in attendance were intrigued as they watched students at RHS play guitar, sing, and even one student tap-danced. Vanessa Wilson, a senior at Rutherford High School who was in the audience at Popcert 35 said, “Overall I thought it was a really good show. I enjoyed seeing all different types of students perform and it wasn’t just exclusive to kids in choir and theater. I always enjoy going to Popcert because it’s really exciting to see such talented students get on stage and perform. As an audience member, I thought it was cool to watch and everyone (including Morgan) were fantastic.”
Senior Morgan Baumann who was the Master of Ceremonies at Popcert 35 introduced the show, every performance, and concluded the show said,” it was great being MC, I got a chance to be able to continue my path on the stage that I did every year. I always enjoyed being on stage and when Mrs. Blanchard and Mrs. Bowden gave me the opportunity to host I was so excited. It was really fun to do and I would thank the two of them and everyone that was in Popcert for being great and being great hype men. But everyone there was great and I loved every minute of it.” Morgan’s sense of humor and interactions with the audience left the audience laughing at every sentence.
This is the 35th Popcert at RHS and Ms. Bowden who has been involved with Popcert since her first year at Rutherford High School recalls some of her past favorite performances. Ms. Bowden says, “Ramy Youssef and Steven Way performed “Devil Went Down to Georgia” my second year here. It was fantastic. They had an electric fiddle, and Ramy sang the song with his comedic flair, and the art teachers had made a wooden cut out of the devil playing the fiddle and fixed it to Steven Way’s wheelchair, which he drove around the auditorium chasing Ramy with during the fiddle solo. It was hilarious and well done and the audience loved it.” The Rutherford High School staff and students are excited to see what Ms. Bowden and Ms. Blanchard have planned for next year!
