Fourteen students across Chautauqua County rehearse for scholarships from the Chautauqua Area Scholarship Program. From left are Elyse Jones, Kylie Brown, Thea Keppel, Claire Johnson, Ashley Lundmark, Katja Kranzo, Lauren Constantino, Sofia Isabella, Shannon McKee, Carley Westphal, Elisabeth Meyer, Kara Triscari, Morgan Tracy, Hannah Sullivan. P-J photo by William Mohan

To Chautauqua Area Scholarship Program Chairwoman Christine Yocum, this year’s theme of “This is Me,” has a special meaning for each participant.

“It just enhances the uniqueness of each and every girl and how they’re individuals, they have different goals and hone in on their unique talents,” Yocum said.

They have all been chosen by a thorough selection process. Each student will compete for scholarships offered by CASP. The students are chosen based on academic achievement, community and school activities, and a five minute interview.

CASP is now in its third year of providing scholarships to area students. Formerly known as the Lakewood Area Distinguished Young Woman Program, it began presenting scholarships in 2016. The program highlights the talents of female students in a musical number. The performances showcase the abilities of students across Chautauqua County in a wide range of talents, including comedy, fitness, and composition.

“It’s seniors and they are chosen back in June by a panel of judges. They have to do a five minute interview and they submit their transcripts and any community and extracurricular activities. They are all reviewed and then we choose the girls from there,” Yocum said.

Students win scholarships based on five categories of performance. They are interview, scholastic, fitness, talent, and self-expression. Each student then has her performance reviewed by a panel of judges who decide which scholarship she will receive.

“We have an overall winner and then we have a first and second runner-up and then we have category winners,” Yocum said.

This year’s students represent five Chautauqua County high schools. Kylie Brown, Thea Keppel, Katja Kranzo, Ashley Lundmark, Elisabeth Meyer and Hannah Sullivan are from Southwestern Central School. Sofia Isabella, Elyse Jones, Morgan Tracy, Kara Triscari, and Carley Westphal are from Jamestown High School. Single students include Shannon McKee from Chautauqua Lake High School, Claire Johnson from Frewsburg High School, and Lauren Constantino from Panama Central School.

To see the students practice is to see dedication in motion. They have been rehearsing and waiting for the moment they will perform since late summer.

“We started rehearsing at the end of July,” Yocum said. “We have been rehearsing every week and now its every night until the show.”

To maintain their status in the program, students need to maintain their academic progress and attend rehearsals. The students also participate with a third-grade student they have mentored throughout the tenure of the program. The young students that each participant mentors are referred to in CASP as “little sisters.” They will also perform during the event.

“It’s probably one of the best parts of the program for the girls,” Yocum said. “They get to now mentor the little sister, they spend a ton of time with them and they will in the end have a life long “little sister,”

The third grade students are randomly paired with each participant. Each of the little sisters is on a waiting list for selection.

“Some are on the list from kindergarten until they get to third grade,” Yocum said.

This year’s show will be choreographed by Tiffany Wakeley Heintzman, Toria Triscari and Karen Buck. All have worked on various elements of the program including fitness, self-expression and talent. The program will be held at the Southwestern Central School auditorium on Saturday Nov. 17 from 7-10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door, from contestants, or little sisters and chaperones. Attendees are also encouraged to bring a new toy for Toy for Tots.

Southwestern Central School is located 600 Hunt Road, Jamestown, W.E. To donate to CASP send contributions to 128 School Ave, Jamestown, N.Y. 14701.