Students gave an emotional farewell to Chuck Alvarado during the Leyden High School District 212 Talent Show last week.
Alvarado is currently a special education teacher who is also the bridge work program coordinator, head Special Olympics basketball coach and assistant Special Olympics track coach. He’s also responsible for starting the talent show, which showcases students from both East and West Leyden high schools.
“From all of us up here — we love ya and thank you so much for 25 years,” student Jamie Nazario said at the end of the talent show on Jan. 27.
Alvarado is retiring at the end of this school year.
“So the talent show I started because when I came here, I saw the peer mediation program, which is where students work together to try and solve their problems for themselves. But it needed a fundraiser, and I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to sell candy,” said Alvarado. “I’m a hambone, and in my 20s I was in bands and stuff like that. I played the guitar and sang. So I decided to get a couple of teachers and kids and put on a show.”
Over the years the funds from the show have gone toward programs like the school’s peer medication program, Special Olympics, and any type of crisis that needed donations, said Alvarado.
“It’s just grown and grown over the years,” he said. “And now it’s a well-oiled machine.”
Students who participate in the talent show have to try out in front of judges and are notified about whether they were accepted the day after their audition. Then they have a week and a half to rehearse and get ready to perform.
“It’s a low-budget, quick show, and we have to find a time to squeeze into the fine arts calendar. Once the kids audition and are in the show, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the students practice. Then on Thursday and Friday, we have a show,” said Michele Ratini, a school social worker and sponsor for Operation Snowball. “It’s an exhausting week but thankfully we only have to do it once a year.”
This year the performances included students like Fabian Bartos, who performed an instrumental song from the film “Interstellar” on a piano; Jamie Nazario, who sang a cover of Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” while backup dancers performed behind him. Joceyln Pamias performed a choreographed dance; Isabelle Ivy-Raydl sang a solo; and Benjamin Gutierrez and Alex Voss dueled with lightsabers on stage.
“It’s funny, when I came here there was no talent show. And 25 years later, now there’s this. I’m getting emotional, but it’s Leyden High School, it’s been my home for 25 years,” said Alvarado. “And it’s just been getting better every year. I think we did our jobs as young teachers because a lot of the kids that we had as students turned into good parents, and they’re now sending their kids here.”
Alex V. Hernandez is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.