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CAFB takes top honors in AF talent contest

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jennifer Arredondo
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Charleston recently took the top three spots in the 2007 Air Force Family and Teen Talent Contest.

The winners included: first place, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mike Hemphill and his wife Kim, who attend the base chapel; second place, Danielle Major, 14, daughter of Jennifer Major, 437th Services Squadron; and third place, Drew DeLeon, 8, daughter of Tech. Sgt. Sidney DeLeon and Traci DeLeon who moved to California since winning at the base level for the talent contest.

The winners were chosen from videotapes that were judged at the Air Force Services Headquarters in San Antonio, and included 230 participants from 46 bases.

When hearing Charleston AFB took top honors for the Air Force-wide contest, Ms. Majors, who is the Youth Center program director and organized the talent contest, was "very excited" about the results.

"This is the second year we have taken so many awards in the Air Force Family and Teen Talent show," said Ms. Major.

The winners were also reveling in the news of their winning.

When the Hemphills heard about winning first place in the Husband and Wife Category for the Air Force-wide contest, they were shocked.

"I couldn't believe it; I thought my husband had gotten the information wrong," said Mrs. Hemphill. "We were shocked."

Singing in front of an audience is nothing new to the couple. Both sing in the Protestant services here at the base chapel, and Mrs. Hemphill is an avid karaoke singer who occasionally sings at karaoke parties and also owns a karaoke business. She was also a finalist in last year's Lowcountry Idol.

"We weren't nervous," said Chief Petty Officer Hemphill. "The hardest part was knowing it was a contest, but waiting and watching was really exciting."

Since they won first place at the Air Force level, the Hemphills will get another chance to showcase their talent by opening for this year's upcoming performance of Tops in Blue in North Charleston.

The second place Air Force winner, Danielle Major, a dancer, was surprised when she found out she had won second place in the Performance/Specialty Act for ages 13 to 15.

"At first, I didn't believe it ... I thought it was a joke," said Miss Major. "But then I was ecstatic."

The hardest part for her during the base-level contest was watching the other contestants perform.

"The people competing against me were really good," she said. "It made me really nervous right before I got on stage. But, once I was on, it didn't matter."

Her mom was also excited for her daughter's accomplishment.

"I was excited for her," she said. "She puts a lot [of effort] into her dance."

The young dancer, who has been perfecting her talent since age three, is planning on attending a performing arts college in New York to further her education in dance.
All four winners received trophies for their participation in the base-level talent contest. Along with also winning trophies for the Air Force-level contest, each received a letter of appreciation from the Air Force.