The crowd quieted as the hopeful Bulldog Idol contestants took the floor on Valentine's Day and belted out such tunes as Katy Perry's "Thinking of You."

Fashioned after the hit TV show “American Idol,” Bulldog Idol had contestants sing to compete for a coveted spot at this year’s Ferris Fest. The event was for Ferris Idols, which helps out Big Brothers Big Sisters. Contestants raised money in the form of votes, as fans put in donations to pick their favorite contestant.

The try-out process was even fashioned after American Idol, with the contestants auditioning in front of a panel of judges. Out of all that auditioned, only five were chosen to sing at the women’s basketball game halftime show.

At the women’s halftime show the contestants were cut down from five to just two, as the crowd voted for its favorites.

The final two contestants, freshman Bryce Hetchler and freshman Megan Redmond both gave it their best at the men’s halftime show. After the votes were cast, Megan Redmond ended up being this year’s winner to sing at Ferris Fest. The event was like the Big Brothers Big Sisters logo, “Little Moments, Big Magic.”

“I just happened to check my email, and I just really like singing. I would be very excited, it would be like a dream come true to sing at Ferris Fest,” said Redman right before the final votes were counted.

There is no exact figure given yet about how much money was raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters, but all the money will be going to the organization to host Halloween and Christmas parties for the children. The money will also be going towards finding and matching a mentor with a child.

“I enjoy helping little kids and it is very satisfactory to see the smile on their faces when kids who don’t have anyone, finally have a place to go,” said freshman Bridgette Cazzola on why she joined Ferris Idols.

Ferris Idols is a campus wide RSO, in which a person on campus can either choose to mentor a child or just help out with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. To learn more about this RSO or about Bulldog Idol, check the Ferris Idols’ Facebook page.

What do you get when you group together an ensemble of fiddling, clogging, melodious high school students from Saline, Mich.?

It is the world-renowned group known as the Saline Fiddlers. This group of young students from Saline High School has graced prestigious stages at the White House and Kennedy Center; and is now bringing the entertainment to Ferris.

On Saturday, Feb. 21, the Fiddlers are performing a matinee show at 2:45 p.m. at the Wink Arena, as well as an evening performance at 7 p.m. in Williams Auditorium.

Paul Cory, a photo journalist and North Carolina native who has witnessed the Saline Fiddlers, said, “Despite their youth, they put on an extremely polished performance. Combined with their energy and enthusiasm, it’s a show I’d advise not to miss.”

The Fiddlers pull their song and dance from a number of influences, including American folk fiddle, bluegrass, jazz, western swing and Celtic music.

And you will never hear the same song twice with the Saline Fiddlers as their list grows every year with the help of an artistic team and director.

Each year the roster of fiddlers also changes as students at the high school compete in auditions based on their musical ability and personal integrity.

The extracurricular music program at Saline has been operating since 1994 and in the meantime has inspired high schools around the country to offer new styles of music education.

One mission of the Saline Fiddlers is to represent the positive side of today’s youth by incorporating the country and rustic traditions learned in their rural hometown.

The Fiddlers, who average 80 concerts a year, can add this Festival of the Arts concert to their growing list of over 1,000 total performances in the United States and several foreign countries.

Some of their recent tours have included New York, California, Nevada, and Florida. The Fiddlers also spent the summer of 2006 in the Mississippi’s Gulf coast where they performed benefit concerts for stormed out residents and relief workers.

Leslie Hancock, a relief worker who saw the Fiddlers, said, “Several people were surprised to see fiddlers from Michigan; they thought it was more of a mountain thing. And people couldn’t believe that all that talent came from a single high school.”

The Fiddlers, which are a non-profit organization, have released recordings every two years since 1996. The profits are used to finance the organization, along with volunteer labor, donations and sponsors.

The show is free, but to guarantee seating, tickets are available at the Williams Auditorium box office or at Artworks, in downtown Big Rapids.

Sponsors for this event are the Mecosta County Community Foundation, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and Michigan Humanities Council.

Information on the Saline Fiddlers courtesy of salinefiddlers. com.

Actor in a Leading Role:
Megan Tower: Sean Penn, Milk
From what I’ve heard, a legendary performance. Also, a performance that requires that acting different than usual for the actor (the character was gay) often seems to do well during awards season.

Jeanette Becker: Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
It’s a toss up between Rourke, Penn, and Pitt. But what can I say? I’m a Brad Fan.

Ferris State University joins the global effort to stop violence against women and girls.

“After six years, The Vagina Monologues have had over 800 people attend: 700 students and 100 community members,” said Autumn McClellan, student coordinator of the event.

This event helps raise funds for Big Rapids’ local women’s shelter, W.I.S.E.

Not only have women helped with this fundraiser and promoted its cause but many men have helped support the cause as well.

“Although men cannot be on-stage, we have had several men help us behind the scenes,” said McClellan.

V-Day has “crafted international education, media and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, reopened shelters, and funded over 6,000 communitybased anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq.”

This year’s monologues will focus on the tragedies happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo, McClellan said.

This effort to support women has raised millions of dollars and supported the effort to teach young and old alike about violence against women and ways to end it.

According to the press release, “A V-day Campaign is a catalyst for mobilizing women and men to heighten awareness about violence against women and girls. By creating this global community, V-Day strives to empower women to find their collective voices and demand an end to the violence that affects one in three women in the U.S and around the world.”

V-Day will occur at Ferris on Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Williams Auditorium. Tickets are $6 per student, $10 per community member, and $20 per sponsor.

For more information contact McClellan at autumn. mcclellan@gmail.com or x6475.