Richland's Jackie Evancho places 2nd on 'America's Got Talent'
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Jackie Evancho on stage during Wednesday night's finale. -
Kathrine Kelly, 8, holds up her sign at the Kean Theater at St. Barnabas in Gibsonia where well wishers gathered to watch Jackie Evancho on "America's Got Talent." -
Classmates of Jackie Evancho react to her second-place finish as they watch the television show at the auditorium of Eden Hall Upper Elementary School in Pine-Richland School District.
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Clearly, Jackie Evancho has talent. But America has decided that Michael Grimm does, too.
Mr. Grimm, a laid-back singer from Mississippi, took home the top prize on NBC's "America's Got Talent."
Operatic singer Jackie, a fifth-grader in the Pine-Richland School District, was runner-up and will be one of the headliners on a national tour.
Moments after the results were announced on live television Wednesday night, the 10-year-old from Richland embraced the winner and declared, "The experience has been amazing. I have loved every moment."
The outcome was met by boos from her classmates at Eden Hall Upper Elementary who were watching in the school auditorium. But then they began chanting "Jackie! Jackie!" as they had done all night.
Before the results were announced, the 400-plus students at the elementary school were handed the green-and-white equivalent of Terrible Towels and they twirled them frantically as they chanted "Jackie! Jackie!"
Kids revved up on Smiley cookies raced in the hallways when they weren't watching the finale on three auditorium screens.
"When this all started, we weren't in school yet," said school Principal Robert Cooper. "So the excitement has really been building the last week and a half. We are so pleased she's gone so far."
Less than a mile down the road from Jackie's grade school, there was a polite but enthusiastic crowd of about 150 Jackie supporters at the St. Barnabas Health System Kean Theater to watch the show.
Jackie competed in the St. Barnabas talent show, "Kean Idol," and those who knew her from her appearances there in 2008, 2009 and last April said they're not surprised by her popularity.
"I remember her many times backstage as just being this typical little girl, giggling and interacting with the other kids," said Kathleen Brenneman, director of public relations and advertising for St. Barnabas Health System.
"Then she'd get on stage and you hear 'this voice.' She was incredibly poised as a 7-year-old, but I remember her fiddling with her dress."
First Published September 16, 2010 12:00 am
