Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
WINNERS’ CIRCLE — Wyatt Jenkins, left, and Zacharia Harvey of Houlton show off their golden tickets to the finale of Northern Star along with Jason Shaw, right, of Hartland, N.B.
By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
HOULTON — It was all about the men when two from Houlton and a third from Hartland, New Brunswick made it through the first elimination round of Northern Star — United Way of Aroostook’s new format for its singing competition. Going into its sixth year, the revamped talent contest, previously billed as Aroostook Idol, welcomed at its premiere, singers from across the border and aspirations of a male to break the all-female hold on wins. Over 300 guests paid to attend the show at the Houlton High School auditorium.
Wyatt Jenkins of Houlton, was the first-place winner. His “proud grandmother,” Donna Clukey, said she “was too nervous to think” and had never been to one of the shows. “It should be fun and you want it for your grandchild. He’s talented and an awfully good boy.”
Alpha and omega
Jenkins closed the talent portion of the show with a knockout performance, accompanying himself on guitar as he sang the jazzy, pop song “Firefly” by Jimmy Needham. Jenkins said modestly that he felt “it went smoothly. I felt really good and don’t feel I messed up.” He gave kudos to fellow contestants: “There is definitely some good talent out there. Zach was amazing.”
Zacharia Harvey, also from Houlton, a self-described “average guy” kicked off the show with an impeccable performance of Jason Mraz’ “I’m Yours.” Judge Scott Voisine, dean of students at UMFK, said “You set the bar.” 
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
PRAISEWORTHY — The judges and the audience heaped praise on James J. Ivers Jr. of Danforth for his performance of “I’m From the Country.”
Harvey said he felt he gave a good performance and did well with his movements. He was the “wild card” pick of the judges. “It felt nice to be the judges’ pick,” said Harvey. Voisine explained after the show that Harvey was a unanimous choice.
Ironically, the first and last performers, Harvey and Jenkins, both male, both from Houlton embodied the hopes of those who expressed interest in seeing a male from southern Aroostook, not only get the golden ticket to advance, but to go on and win the competition.
Talent on display
Virginia “Ginny” Joles, new on the United Way board, commented before the show that she was expecting great talent and “maybe it’s about time for a man to win.” Nancy Ketch is a town councilor in Houlton who volunteers at the show and “helps out to take tickets, count ballots or whatever needs to be done.” She commented that “we haven’t had a winner from southern Aroostook or a male. Maybe it’s high time at least for a winner from southern Aroostook.”
But, Ketch’s 9-year-old niece, Leah Batoosingh, may have had other ideas. When young Hannah Chapla of Hodgdon came out wearing a black dress with rhinestones during the introduction of all the contestants, Batoosingh gasped: “She looks beautiful.”
Batoosingh was visiting from Scarborough with her mother Ginny and her two brothers, Ben and Noah. She critiqued Chapla’s performance and the show. “It was good. I had fun watching the singers. They sang very cute songs. And, [Hannah Chapla] was very good with the high pitch that she had. Her voice sounded really good. But, she might have messed up very little with her voice. Everything else she did really good. She went right through it.”
Border crossings and more
Hartland, N.B. contestant, Jason Shaw, the second-place winner, turned in a powerful performance of Travis Tritt’s country ballad “Help Me Hold On” with very strong vocals. Judge Annie Charles said she loved his voice and “was really feeling that song.” Claudia Stevens, executive director of United Way, said of the first contestant from Canada that “inviting our friends from New Brunswick was a great idea.”
In the winners’ circle later, Shaw said the show had a “lot of good talent” and he had a great time. “I’m looking forward to the finale in Caribou.”
There were several outstanding performances by artists who did not get a golden ticket to proceed. Among them was Jaimie Roberts of Sherman whose compelling and emotional rendition of “Foolish Games” was not enough to overcome her male competitors.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
POWERFUL PERFORMANCE — Jaime Roberts’ emotional rendition of “Foolish Games” was called “the most soulful of the night” by Scott Voisine, Northern Star judge and dean of students at UMFK. Samantha Boutot, a judge and a former Aroostook Idol winner, told the Sherman resident she had “the wow factor.” Roberts, left, is seen with Claudia Stevens, executive director of the United Way of Aroostook and one of the emcees of the show.
Bringing a light, upbeat mood to the evening was another Canadian, Sheldon Dunbar, whose air guitar and playfulness got the audience clapping and rooting as he performed “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”
James J. Ivers, Jr. of Danforth drew praise from the judges along with cheers and clapping-in-time from the audience during his performance of “I’m From the Country.”
The entire cast, and maybe even some audience members, sang “Happy Birthday” to last year’s winner Pam Cyr who also performed that evening and showed off her talent.
Gamble that paid off
Stevens said she “thought it went really, really well. There’s a lot of talent in the Houlton area and it was really nice to have the talent from across the border.”
Jason Parent, a volunteer who emcees the show with Stevens, said the new format “was a real gamble and I think it paid off. You’ll have that in the Fort Kent and Presque Isle shows as well. It allowed us to grow in new directions. We needed something to make the project fresh as it was entering its sixth season. And, I’m really pleased at how well Houlton did.” 
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Elna Seabrooks
PLAYFUL — Sheldon Dunbar’s good vocals with air guitar on “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” was fun and lighthearted. Dunbar was among the first-time contestants from Canada.
The event, according to Stevens, will raise $25,000 this year bringing the total over the six years to $175,000 to support United Way of Aroostook’s various direct service programs.
Two more eliminations will be held before the finale: Friday, Feb 12, 7 p.m. at the Presque Isle Middle School and Friday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. at UMFK’s Fox Auditorium. Finalists then go to the Northern Star finale Friday, Feb. 28, 2 p.m. at the Caribou Performing Arts Center when the Northern Star will be named.
