Ladera Really Does Have Talent
Has Ladera Got Talent? That was the question on the minds of many people last month when two dozen acts auditioned to vie for top honors in the Ladera's Got Talent! competition on the big stage at the Taste of Ladera 
Saturday, May 3.
Well, the answer turned out, it has lots of talent, as shown above by the three winners in their respective age categories, from left, 4-5th Grade: Amenda Kopen and Megan McGonigle, who performed a Broadway song; 6-8th Grade: Jamella Perkins, who sang a country song; and 9-12th Grade: Ceris Barker, who also performed a country song.
The call for auditions went out in April and exactly two dozen acts turned out for the Ladera’s Got Talent competition over two days at the BeachFire Bar and Grill.
Michael Hart, Taste of Ladera committee member and representing The Unforgetables charity, conducted the contest, which was judged by a panel of distinguished residents, including Josh Vecchione, owner and operater of Toy Town in Mercantile West, and Ram Mukherji, President of the LARMAC Board of Directors.
In addition to the winners shown above, other finalists that competed at the Taste of Ladera included:
4-5th Grade
l Celloist Renee Lee;
l Tony Murch, solo electric guitarist;
l Guitarist and singer Danielle Boatman;
l The Flamingees dancers consisting of Mary Buckey, Lauren Campbell, and Thalia Alavi
6th-8th Grade
l Rock band "No Outlet," consisting of James Brown, Anton Emmerton, Andrew Wickes, and Nick Salgado;
l Mentalist/Magician Mark Gibson;
l Lauren Elder, singer;
l Pianist Randall Swain;
The acts performed between the bands throughout the day and members of the audience had an opportunity to vote on their favorites in each category.
Many in the audience speculated that they wouldn't be surprised if they turned on their TVs and saw some of these finalists on the network television show "America's Got Talent."