Ben Tietz, sponsored by the Student Government Association andSarah Roth, sponsored by Schmidt/Wilson Residence Hall wereannounced as this year's Homecoming King and Queen during theshow's encore.
by Emily Ortman, Staff Reporter
A 45-year-old mother of six captured the hearts of the judgesand the audience to become the Student Scholarship Talent Searchoverall winner Thursday.
Beth Leavell-Davis received a standing ovation from the audienceas she finished singing "If I Could," a song dedicated to her sixchildren ranging in age from 28 years to 14 months.
"I was in awe," Leavell-Davis said. "There was a lot of greattalent here."
She will receive $1000 in scholarship money to use toward nextsemester as she completes her criminal justice major.
She said that going to school, working and raising her childrenis a collaboration effort with her mother, who lives with herfamily, and husband, who is also going back to school by takingnight classes. With so much going on in her life, Leavell-Davissaid it was difficult to practice her singing.
"Everywhere I was when I thought about the song, I practiced asmuch as I could," she said.
Overcoming many obstacles in her life, including a drugaddiction, Leavell-Davis said that she started school when she wasyounger, but lost her focus.
"God delivered me from all of that," she said, and she is nowdetermined to finish school in May 2005.
The winners in each category were Leavell-Davis for FemaleVocal, Justin Rentschler for Male Vocal, Jemel Washington forDance, Adam Meyers for Original Arrangement, Singers 5 for MusicalGroup, Terry Jackson, Jr. for Instrumental and Kimberly Ingle forFreestyle.
"I didn't think I'd win, but that was fantastic," Meyers said."That was the best reaction I've ever gotten."
The winner in each category will receive a $500 scholarshipsponsored by the Ball State Alumni Association to use for springsemester.
"I'm happy with my performance," Kira Christiansen, femalevocalist, said. "It was great to have people come up to me and tellme they were emotionally moved by my performance."
Talent Search Chairperson, senior Courtney Lyman said that theattendance was more than double last year's show with a total of1,511 people.
"It went better than planned," she said. "I'm glad I wasn't ajudge because I'd never have been able to pick."
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