Out of a hundred kids who auditioned for the 15th edition of Ever Kiddie Stars (EKS), only two emerged as champion, following in the footsteps of past winners who are now making a name in entertainment and in various fields.
Last June 3 at the Ever Commonwealth, seven boys and seven girls made it to the grand finals. Each one of them gleefully joined in the various segments of the search, such as the Hollywood Icon Costume and Talent Portion. A wide variety of talents, such as singing, dancing, acting, gymnastics, beatboxing, and even reciting names of various countries were witnessed by the judges and the audience. The final part of the competition, the Q&A portion, brought out the best in each of the finalists, showcasing their wisdom even at a very young age.
Headed by Chie Arao-Santos, Corporate Marketing Manager of Ever Malls, the panel of judges includes representatives from the event sponsors, celebrities Arthur Solinap and Dianne Medina, and EKS 2004 grand winner, Ryza Maureen Rosillon.
Due to the high-level of energy and the showmanship of the finalists, it became difficult for the judges to choose the grand winners. But in the end, named EKS Year 15 Grand Winners were Sean Kevin Inocencio and Camille Ronquillo. The 1st runners up were Angelo Rhein Chanyongco and Sofia Jayzel Cabatay, while in second place were Kyle Ian Baterna and Brianna Zathalia Martin.
Aside from acquiring the coveted title, the grand winners also received PhP350,000 worth of prizes and a trip to Hong Kong. As grand winners, they will be given talent training and skills development to further hone their personalities – paving the way for a brighter career whether it will be in the entertainment industry or other fields.
Since 2004, EKS has been bringing talented kids to the limelight. The secret of this long-running competition is all about making the parents and kids as partners in this special journey.
“The search is not just a plain contest. We also try to really get to know the contestants, what they are up to, what their talents are. We also talk to their parents,” Arao-Santos explained. “With this kind of mindset, both the Ever Malls and parents work together in honing the talents and skills of the kids.”
EKS lives up to the branding of Ever Malls: “Ever is a family mall. In each family, there are kids who will always be eager to showcase their talents on stage,” she said. “It is a pleasure and privilege for Ever Malls to see kids fulfill their dreams and aspirations and making their parents very proud and happy through this competition.”