Warm up your voice and get ready for the 11th annual E-town Idol, where students and staff alike will showcase their unique talents for the Evanston community.

“The event was started because kids wanted to showcase their talents and what they were able to do,” Carlton Rosemond, Head of E-town Idol says.

Though this is Rosemond’s first year in charge of E-town Idol, he has been working with the program for the past four years.

Based off the hit FOX show, American Idol, E-town Idol has moved beyond just singing. The categories can range all the way to spoken word, singing in a group or even stand up comedy. Nevertheless, according to Rosemond, most auditions are still singing.

Students must sign up for auditions either online or on paper. From there, participants audition just like constants on American Idol, coming in and stating their name and grade. Then, they have a minute to perform for the coaches.

According to Rosemond, up to 35 students audition for the show, but E-town Idol can only keep up to 20 of the students so the show doesn’t become too long.

Students’ creativity really shines through in E-town Idol. Participants can do anything from signing a cover of a song to performing an original piece.

“I took a poem and turned it into a song,” says senior Aubry Dupiton.

After practicing, students will perform for a panel of eight judges, whose identities remain a secret until the show. Each category of the show will receive a cash prize, which varies from category to category based on the number of participants in each, as well as the number of tickets sold.

In previous years students were not the only ones to appear in the show. There have been performances from the Math and Science Departments, and the show has also featured clubs, like the ETHS Step Team, as well as Pomkits and Cheer.

The coaches involved with E-town Idol are there to help students rather than critique.

“It’s a fun way for kids to come together, work together and compete,” Rosemond says. Students are allowed to express themselves and come out to compete and showcase their talents for their peers.

“Whether you are competing or not, you should come see people that are talented. You will be surprised to see someone you didn’t except to sign or dance,” says Dupiton.

E-town Idol only comes around only once a year, and you don’t want to miss it. Come to the auditorium on March 10.