The Capital One Bowl halftime show recently announced the All American selection of Janet Naomi Copeland, 13, of Hamlet Middle School, Hamlet, to the official halftime show’s performance cast.
“Janet is one of 400 performers from 44 states, selected to be a part of the show,” said Executive Producer Bruce Hart.
Bowl game halftime show producers take special pride in their national performer recruiting efforts to field only a top-notch performance cast. The Jan. 1, 2013, extravaganza will be held in Orlando, Fla. and broadcast nationally on ESPN-TV. They will feature a student pageantry presentation. Show designers are well under way with plans for what is certain to be a true once-in-a-lifetime performance experience for the students, say the producers.
“Janet was doing cheer practice and wanted to try out for it,” said Janet’s father, Joesph Copeland. “She is very active and knows she can do anything she puts her mind to … I was very proud when she told me she made it.”
“The Capital One halftime show is consistently hailed as the most spectacular New Year’s Day production in the country,” said Hart. “Only the nation’s top students who meet stringent ‘All American’ cast selection criteria qualify to receive this fantastic New Year’s performance opportunity; this is by no means an ‘open call’ production.”
The Capital One Bowl football game pits two traditional gridiron powerhouses, the Big 10 and Southeastern (SEC) athletic conferences, in one of the country’s most prestigious collegiate bowls.
In addition to the New Year’s performance in Orlando, “All American” cast members will visit many exciting attractions in central Florida. Their six-day member performance tour includes excursions to Universal Orlando theme parks, and of course Walt Disney World, including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Center, Animal Kingdom or the Disney Hollywood Studios Theme park.
“It’s also going to be a trip of a lifetime because I’ve never been to Disney World and all that,” said Janet, “I wish my best friends could come along with me, too.”
Janet lives in a home with her dad and siblings. Her grandmother, Evelyn Ferguson of Rockingham, will be driving and chaperoning Janet on the trip to Florida.
“I volunteered because my son is a single parent and has been raising her alone for eight years,” said Ferguson, “So I wanted to make sure that she can go and she knows that I support her.”
A performance of this magnitude necessitates a great deal of fund raising and students are working hard to make it to Orlando for the production experience. Financial assistance is requested to help provide or make the performance dream come true. Contact the school directly for more information on how to help.
— Staff Writer Cassidy Odom can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 16, or by email at codom@heartlandpublications.com.
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