The Rotary Club of Boca Raton’s 8th Annual Future Stars Performing Arts Competition (www.rotaryfuturestars.com) will kick off the Festival of the Arts BOCA 2011 for the third year as the Festival’s opening event (www.festivaloftheartsboca.org) on Friday night, March 4, 2011 at 7 p.m. at Count De Hoernle Amphitheater at Mizner Park with an inspiring talent showcase of Palm Beach and Broward county middle and high school vocal and dance performance artists. The program will feature more than 30 performances, ranging from solo and group vocal to solo and group dance presentations with 100 performers “taking the stage” to compete to become “2011 Future Stars” winners.

Sponsored, presented, produced and manage by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton, “Future Stars” is South Florida’s premier middle and high school vocal and dance performing arts competition, not a talent show. Past winners include artists now attending “The Juilliard” and other prestigious music and dance degree programs at prestigious universities, including Vanderbilt and University of Florida. All event proceeds raised support the Rotary Club of Boca Raton’s “Changing Lives & Building Futures” Scholarship Programs in education scholarships to local high school students.

“We are pleased to once again provide South Florida’s talented young artists with the opportunity to perform in a professional setting, with a “state of the art” sound system and a purpose built amphitheater, and it is due to the support of so many in our community that we are able to continue our mission,” noted Rick Taylor, originator of the Rotary Club Future Stars Program and Event Producer. The event is presented by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton in conjunction with Flossy Keesely; Ziegfield Girls of Florida, Inc.; Ocean Properties, Ltd.; Sun Capital Partners; Celebrity Cruises; Boca Raton Regional Hospital; Boca Raton Magazine; HSBC Bank; Miami Systems, Inc.; General Contractors; All Star Engraving; Multi-Image Group; Mummaw & Associates, Inc.; Kaye Communications, Inc. and other community partners.

The 2011 Future Stars program will include performances by the following:

MIDDLE SCHOOL VOCAL

Danielle Francois, Boynton Beach Bak Middle School

Emma McAvoy Boca Raton Bak Middle School

Elizabeth Schwartz Weston Falcon Cove Middle School

Lizzie Sider Boca Raton Pinecrest School

Vanessa E. Simpson Margate Home Schooled

Maggie Wilkinson Boca Raton A.D. Henderson Middle School

HIGH SCHOOL VOCAL

Erin Boyle Boca Raton Boca High School

Christina Caperna Jupiter Coram Deo Academy

Kendra Fulmer Boca Raton Saint Andrews School

Nicole Granet Boca Raton Spanish River High School

Sara Grant Boca Raton Broward Virtual School

McKenzie O’Connor Ocean Ridge Dreyfoos HSOA

Rachel Pecaro Boynton Beach Spanish River High School

Georgia Sackler Boca Raton Dreyfoos HSOA

Megan Saslow Boca Raton Boca Christian

Jake Sherbondy Boca Raton Home Schooled

Marquis Sklenar Coral Springs Stoneman Douglas High School

Madison Spear Boca Raton West Boca High School

Lila Stallone Boca Raton Spanish River High School

VOCAL GROUPS

Spanish River Splash Boca Raton Spanish River High School

DANCE SOLOISTS

Ali Castro Boca Raton Dreyfoos HSOA

Rachel Donev Boca Raton Dreyfoos HSOA

Lital Gelman Weston Cypress Bay High School

Tara Langdon Palm Beach Dreyfoos HSOA

Vicki Marinucci Royal Palm Beach Dreyfoos HSOA

Brooke Naylor Jupiter Dreyfoos HSOA

Sarah Ponczek Parkland Stoneman Douglas High School

Rotary Club members Rick Taylor serves as Future Stars Executive Producer and Mike Berkman serves as its Executive Director supported by Rotary Club committee members including Jon Burford, Tracy Fogarty, Mitch Fogel, Dennis Frisch, Deborah Freudenberg, Doug Giordano, Camille Giuliasano-Pelaez, Trevor Headley, Yaacov Heller, Diane Hileman, John Hurland, Alan Kaye, Jon Kaye, Flossy Keesely, Mary Kelly, Robert Klein, Donn Londeree, Mike Massarella, John Mollica, Doug Mummaw, Steve Pomeranz, Jeremy Pound, William Riddick, Neil Saffer, Greg Snyder, Julie Vianale and Rick Zimmer.

For more than 54 years The Rotary of Boca Raton has been is dedicated to “Changing Lives and Building Futures”. Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.rotaryclubbocaraton.com and visit www.rotaryfuturestars.com , www.facebook.com/futurestarsboca and follow www.twitter/futurestarsboca.

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