On Feb. 27, 2026, the Lexington National Honor Society (NHS) hosted a talent show in the Lexington High School auditorium. As both a fundraiser and a chance for students to show off their skills, the event featured a wide variety of performances.
“The talent show is held once each year during the winter season. It has become an annual tradition at LHS and is one of the signature events organized by the National Honor Society,” Parul Kumar, the NHS advisor, said.
With a total of 27 acts in the program, the event required extensive preparation leading up to the show and careful coordination throughout the night.
“Organizing the talent show requires months of preparation and strong student leadership,” Kumar said. “NHS officers and core members begin planning as early as November. Students take the lead in recruiting performers, coordinating judges and volunteers, organizing advertising efforts, and setting up additional fundraising initiatives such as a bake sale.”
As part of the annual tradition, this year’s talent show will donate 50% of its proceeds to a local charity. Funds collected from ticket sales and the intermission bake sale will be used to support the cause.
“This year, we chose to donate to The Children’s Room, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support for grieving children, teens, and families. It’s important for all individuals to have a safe and understanding environment for their grief to be acknowledged and converted into hope and compassion,” Andrea Le, the Vice President of NHS, said.
Logistics during the night included setting up lighting and sound and ensuring each group knew when it was their turn on stage. With many simultaneous efforts needed for a successful night, the talent show was an opportunity for NHS members to get involved.
“I helped backstage, and since each act needed different equipment, there was a lot to move around. It was really nice to see things going smoothly, and I had a lot of fun working with other volunteers,” Jackson Chen, an NHS core member, said.
Performers were given the added incentive of prizes, with gift cards awarded to the top three performances. LHS junior and first-place winner Esther Kim described her experience on stage in a trio dance group.
“I performed a dance mashup of ‘Ridin’ and ‘Famous,’ two K-pop songs. My group thought the talent show would be a great opportunity to introduce K-pop to more people and show how energetic and creative K-pop performances can be,” Kim said.
A mixed judging panel of students and staff was seated near the stage. Using a structured rubric, judges evaluated acts based on difficulty, overall entertainment value, and the performers’ preparation and execution.
“I was definitely nervous, but also excited. We kept telling each other, ‘We got this. Just enjoy the performance.’ I think that helped calm us down and reminded us to have fun on stage. It was a little intimidating at first, but once the music started, it felt really fun. Seeing people react and enjoy the performance made it a great experience,” Kim said.
Other unique acts included a live 40-line Tetris speed run and a karate-and-dance combo. Second place was awarded to a dance to “Toymaker’s Dream,” and third place went to a piano performance of Frédéric Chopin’s Études Op. 10 No. 2 and No. 12.
“I thought the variety of acts was really impressive. There were so many different talents, and the atmosphere was very supportive and encouraging. Also, it was really interesting to see people I know show talents that I didn’t know they had,” Kim said.
The event drew a solid turnout from the school community, featuring students from all grade levels and backgrounds.
“Events like the NHS Talent Show help build community by allowing students to see different sides of their peers. It highlights hidden talents, encourages confidence, and creates shared experiences that extend beyond academics,” Kumar said.
