Cranberry Twp. youth wins Jackie Evancho Award
GIBSONIA — Jackie Evancho went from performing as a Kean Quest contestant in 2008 and 2009 to presenting an award in her honor and serving as a guest judge at the 2013 Kean Quest Talent Search youth finals on April 5 at the Kean Theatre, 5847 Meridian Road.
Her advice to contestants? “I would say stay confident, even if you don’t win tonight you’ll do the best you can at this moment and you just have to keep following your dreams,” said the second place finisher in “America’s Got Talent” from Richland Township, Allegheny County.
Evancho presented Paige Hurbanek of Cranberry Township with the third annual “Jackie Evancho Award,” presented to a contestant who, like Jackie, has competed in Kean Quest for two or more years, works hard, never gives up and continues to follow his or her dreams no matter the outcome of the competition.
Hurbanek played the guitar and performed an original composition titled “Cold Dreams.” She has competed in Kean Quest for seven years and attends eighth grade at St. Kilian School.
Other Butler County contestants who performed during the youth finals were Amanda Bishop and Allison Mizgorski, both of Butler; Sabrina Knox and Karac O’Brien, both of Valencia; Marlee Manuel of Connoquenessing; and Jordann Versaw of Mars.
