Long Valley Student Honored For Outstanding Vocal Talent

A student from Long Valley was one of several honored by the Mayo Performing Arts Center as a November Music Student Of The Month for being an outstanding vocalist.

Lars Olsen, a senior at West Morris Central High School, was honored on stage before the Nov. 8 concert at Mayo PAC. All the students were nominated by their teachers and chosen by Mayo PAC's education department. At the end of the year, all honored students will be invited to perform in a recital.

Here is what Mark Stingle had to say about Lars Olsen:

Lars Olsen, a 12th grader at West Morris Central High School, is one of the most accomplished singers to come out of WMC in a very long time. As a tenor leader in the Mixed Choir, Lars has showcased his voice in various ways over the past 4 years. Whether as a member of the Choir in the classroom (4 years), Concert Choir (audition-based extracurricular group) (4 years), acapella groups (both the Noteworthies (all-male) and Howlers (co-ed) (4 years) or on the Central Theater stage, Lars has been a singing leader in every way. Outside of school, Lars is just as successful, having participated in the Morris Area Honors Choir for 4 years, the Region I Honors Choir for 4 years (as a soloist last year), and the NAFME All- Eastern Choir last year. As an actor, he has won a FOXY Award in his sophomore year, and was part of 3 award-winning Central Theater productions, last year as Jimmy Ray in Bright Star. His ability to excel in all of these activities while keeping a high honor roll academic record for 4 years is a testament to his versatility and talent.

Front Row: (Left to Right): Lindsay Bush, Grade 8, Rockaway Valley School; Boonton. Samantha Schnur, Grade 7, The Peck School; Morristown. Mia Cicarelli, Grade 8, Ridgedale Middle School; Florham Park. Amelia Diaz, Grade 8, Randolph Middle School; Randolph. Alexa Giacoio, Grade 12, Kinnelon High School; Kinnelon.

SECOND ROW: Grace Fleischer, Grade 12, West Morris Mendham High School; Mendham. Jalan Royal, Grade 8, Brooklawn Middle School; Parsippany. Katilin Brown, Grade 8, Harding Township School; New Vernon.

Not pictured: Aisha Rehan, Grade 8, Central Middle School; Parsippany. Elizabeth Scharfenberg, Grade 8, Mountain View Middle School; Mendham. Lars Olsen, Grade 12, West Morris Central High School.