\iWithin the Don Lugo campus, there are many opportunities for students to share their talents, such as performing in the rallies, joining sports or dance teams, and even joining an elective class that relates to that talent. However, there are so many students across the campus that have a variety of talents. Some of those students include Danielle Ortiz, Mya Salazar, and Alicia Chacon.

Alicia Chacon is a Sophomore, a team member on the wrestling team, and is an amazing musician on the ukulele. Alicia began playing the uke in seventh grade, and then stopped playing for about 2 years. Then, in her Freshman year, she started playing again but then stopped once again before the summer. Finally, Alicia picked up the ukulele in the beginning of her Sophomore year and has been playing it ever since.

“People say, ‘Practice makes perfect,’ but my coaches say, ‘Oh! Perfect practice makes perfect playing.” -Alicia Chacon

At first, Alicia had no experience with a ukelele so it was a bit tough to learn. She got interested in playing because she has always loved music. She chose the ukulele because Alicia was always interested in playing a stringed instrument. Her brother had owned one so Alicia just borrowed the uke until she had her own.

After she took the uke, she started to look up ukelele tutorials on YouTube and continued to practice. Alicia usually practices at least 1-2 times a week, so no wonder she is so good! But, not only does she play, she can also sing! Alicia began singing when she was very young and would just sing along to songs that she’d hear. Listening to Alicia play was amazing because the ukelele is a beautiful sounding instrument and hearing her sing as well was beautiful.

Mya Salazar is a Junior, is a Varsity cheerleader, is a part of the Don Lugo Theatre Department, and she has a very unique talent of playing the Melodica. For those who do not know, the Melodica is an instrument that looks like a piano, but has a twist to it. To be able to make noise with the piano, the user must blow air through a tube. Mya began playing the Melodica in the second semester of last year, after having received it as a gift for Christmas.

She got the Melodica because she had seen the instrument for the first time in a show titled, “You’re Lie In April,” and she also got it because she just found the Melodica aesthetically pleasing. Prior to the Melodica, Mya had some experience with playing the piano. As she put it, the Melodica is just a “flute piano” and so she just knew the basics of a piano and just needed to get used to using a tube to go along with the piano. The Melodica is not a usual instrument so it is definitely an amazing talent. Hearing Mya play the instrument was a great new experience and seeing how the instrument works.

Danielle Ortiz is a Senior, is a Thespian Officer for the Don Lugo Theatre Department, and has the amazing talent of singing. Danielle has been singing for most of her life, mostly for herself; she has never sung in front of an audience. When she first started, Danielle wasn’t sure if she was good or bad. Danielle has always told me that she can’t sing. My mind was soon changed when we were at Disneyland last summer waiting for the “Paint the Night” Parade to begin. A song was playing and Danielle was singing along and I was astonished as to how amazing she sounded.

With some people, they get interested in a hobby by trying it out because someone said that they should try it. But not with Danielle! She simply started to sing because she loves it. Danielle decided to share her talent with Quest News because she was happy to find other people that supported her talent. Unfortunately, Danielle does not plan on taking any sort of singing career and will just remain doing it for fun.

Click the links below to see these amazing students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Pxik1tUjs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yat1Qc41tFM&feature=youtu.be