Middle School Singers Wins Festival Award

Singers from Pacoima Middle School Performing Arts Magnet won the top award at the Music in the Parks Festival, a school official said Monday.

The 13- and 14-year-old students, members of the Pacoima Singers Musical Theatre Group, received the Judges Choice Award for the competition’s outstanding vocal group.

The local youths topped students at high schools and middle schools from California, Nevada and Arizona at Valencia High School on Saturday.

Pacoima’s Television, Theatre and Fine Arts magnet students scored 195 out of a possible 200 points. That beat singing groups from 18 high schools and 12 junior highs and middle schools.

“It shows the quality of the program here,” said vocals teacher Scott Mandel. “We are a public school, and this shows what these kids can do, given the opportunity.”

Seventh-grader Rodney Taylor won the Judges Choice Award for solo performance for his rendition of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”

The Pacoima Singers, which includes 25 students, also took first place in the middle school division.

The group performed “We Got the Power,” from the television show “Fame”; “You are the Light,” from the musical, “Metropolis”; “Favorite Son,” from the Broadway hit “The Will Rogers Follies”; pop song “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, and “Celebrate Life,” an original song written by the Pacoima Singers.