THE VALLEY’S GOT TALENT! Student Showcase Supported Coalition

Yinuo Zhou and Jiuding Huang of Norwood take a bow. | Photo by Murray Bass.

OLD TAPPAN, N.J.—The Northern Valley Coalition works to create fun, healthy activities for local families.

On May 11, the group organized its third successful Valley’s Got Talent in the Northern Valley-Old Tappan auditorium, featuring 23 performances by kids in high school to elementary school. A panel of judges comprised of local dignitaries selected winners for different age groups. 

Old Tappan senior Ryan Ward’s piano performance of “The Moving Cloud” won for high school, while Norwood’s Rachel Squitieri and Michael Greenberg’s vocal duet “Sing” was tops among seventh- and eighth-graders.

Norwood eighth-graders Rachel Squitieri and Michael Greenberg duet. | Photo by Murray Bass.

Among the younger performers a group from Norwood took honors for grades one to four, as Yinuo Zhou and Jiuding Huang won for their performance of “La Paloma” on piano and drums. Chris Confreda had the audience laughing all the way to his honors, winning for grades five and six with his comedy.

The Northern Valley Coalition started as a way to provide activities for local youth that are fun, social and substance free, said Co-President Melissa Driscoll. 

“We feel that these types of activities make for healthy development,” said Driscoll. 

The coalition works to maintain substance-free environments that reduce teen high-risk behavior.

“We feel that high schoolers, particularly, really all they want to do is they want to have fun, they want to be social, and we just want to give them a venue to do it in,” Driscoll said. “Because I don’t think that alcohol and drugs is necessarily part of it, it just sort of happens into it. That’s what we’re trying to do: Create a positive atmosphere for youth and families in Northern Valley.” 

Anna Bager was a judge from Old Tappan who helped work with the kids to reach their potential in their choice of performance pieces, she said. Other talent on display included music, dance, and hula hoop.

The serious panel of judges included local mayors and officials: Closter Mayor John Glidden, Demarest Mayor Melinda Iannuzzi, Harrington Park Mayor Paul Hoelscher, Haworth Mayor Thomas Ference, Northvale Councilman Lou DeLisio, Norwood Mayor James Barsa, Old Tappan Mayor John Kramer, and Bager. 

The Northern Valley Coalition also works to hold an annual Trunk-or-Treat at both Northern Valley Old Tappan and Demarest high schools, and even organizes an ultimate frisbee league. 

“We are developing activities on the weekends. The high school administration is interested in doing that,” said Driscoll. “There’s not a lot of activities in Northern Valley for the kids, so sometimes they end up at people’s houses and it’s not always good.”

Northvale sixth-grader Chris Confreda gave a standout standup performance. | Photo by Murray Bass.

The $10 tickets to the event support the coalition’s efforts. The event also enjoyed support from local parent organizations in the Northern Valley Regional High School District’s seven sending towns. 

Leading the evening were emcees Jeremy Shinder of Northern Valley-Demarest and Jonathon Sekas of Northern Valley-Old Tappan.