It’s the Monday morning before Veteran’s Day and you stumble into your period 1 class only to find out we have a special schedule and you race to homeroom. It must have slipped your mind: it’s talent show assembly day!
November 10, 2025, 8 competing student groups ranging from punk rock to heartfelt rap, stepped up to showcase their talents at the 2025 “Mene Star Talent Show”.
After witnessing John Tonga’s, Dominic Walker’s, James Munga’s, Hector Rangel’s punk band perform; Sharleen Negre’s, Jayden Sabas’s, Leo Chung’s, Cylen Sabas’s music, Jalon Harris’s dance; Janaia Ford’s and Jaileana Kamaunu’s hula and song; Ma Angela Mendoza’s guitar performance and song; Chevy Cadiente’s, Zachary Dela Cruz’s, Grayson Gapasin’s, and Camille Corpuz’s performance; Edrina Taylor Kibin’s, Randi Racadio’s, and Jennifer Reed’s oli and hula; and Dominic Domingo’s rap, the student association emcees lef the crowd in a “Which high school they went?” game while the judges tallied scores and came to an agreement.
2025 Talent Show Winners
1st Place: Edrina Taylor Kibin, Randi Racadio, Jennifer Reed (11)
2nd Place: Dominic Domingo (12)
3rd Place: Chevy Cadiente, Zachary Dela Cruz, Grayson Gapasin, Camille Corpuz (12)
Most contestants can recall their inspiration for signing up to compete. Edrina Taylor Kibin, who performed hula and won 1st place with fellow dancers Randi Racadio (11) and Jennifer Reed (11) said it’s important that she [remembers] who [she’s] dancing for and who [she’s] honoring.”
Racadio revealed that she actually wasn’t originally planning on signing up. Once Kibin and Reed asked her, though, she said she felt “called to be part of it.” A well-known hula performer, Racadio stated, “Our goal is never just to win—it’s to honor our kūpuna and share our culture.”
Jennifer Reed, took it in a way where she said “…my future self would look back and be proud that I pushed through.”
On days where she felt seemed unmotivated, 3rd place contestant Camille Irurita-Corpuz thought about it in a way where if she didn’t feel like practicing, she would think about her group and how it could affect them if she wasn’t present. Her group mates consisted of her cousin Chevy Cadiente and friends Zachary Dela Cruz and Grayson Gapasin.
“I was able to do it [the talent show] with friends. These are the people that I see almost everyday, if not every week. We were comfortable with each other and were able to adapt to how each other played and sang,” Corpuz said. Being able to experience the moment with your friends is honestly something that you should cherish, this year was Corpuz, Dela Cruz, Gasapin, Cadiente last year. Performing together is a memorable moment for all of them.
2nd place winner and the only solo performer to place, Dominic Domingo, mentioned that he is shy when meeting new people. However, this performance reminded him of possibility. “It opened a portal to a whole new understanding of how the world is a beautiful place with a load of different gems and stones.” As a returning performer from last year’s show, Domingo was able to captivate the crowd both last year and this year with his original rap.
While this year’s talent show has come to a close, there is always next year. Students are highly encouraged to consider auditioning for next year’s talent show. As Reed said, “If you’re passionate about something, trust yourself and perform what makes you feel confident and alive.”
