By Maddie Conway
Executive News Editor
And indeed, despite none of the students officially knowing that the “American Idol” Season 9 winner would walk onto the stage set up in the field house, Prospect packed the bleachers. And when DeWyze made his way up to the stage and in front of the microphone to thank the students of his old school, he was greeted with screams.
“Last year, we rallied as a community,” Principal Kurt Laakso said before DeWyze took the stage. “And it’s because you cared, and because you loved, and because you believed.”
And in honor of that support, DeWyze came back to thank the Prospect community.
According to Laakso, there had been interest in DeWyze coming to schools in the area prior to his concert tomorrow, Sept. 24, at Arlington Park, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. DeWyze was unable to visit Prospect during his “Idol” homecoming visit last May because of his busy “Idol” agenda, so Laakso and the rest of the administration worked with Arlington Park to arrange the Prospect visit.
Though he was only able to spend a few minutes at Prospect this afternoon, he took the time to thank the crowd after being escorted by police onto the stage. Laakso thanked DeWyze with a Prospect hoodie and hat.
Freshman Megan Mendelson also received a special gift: not only did she get to catch a glimpse of her favorite star, but she also got to meet him. Mendelson, who is attending the concert at Arlington Park tomorrow night, hugged and introduced herself to the “Idol,” who signed her an autograph that read, “Thank you, Lee” with a heart.
“It wasn’t like meeting any other star [because he means more than that],” said a starstruck Mendelson, who finds inspiration in DeWyze’s music. “He inspired me so much — to keep going and working hard on my school work and to just keep going on in life. I love him.”
Staff members, too, were excited by his visit. Special Education teacher Julie Stoker, who taught DeWzye when he was a student at Prospect, said she was “very proud of him and his accomplishments.”
English teacher Nicole Warren, a friend of DeWyze’s, also said she was proud of DeWyze and how far he has come since “Idol.”
“It’s very exciting for the student body and the staff to have someone from Prospect be proud to be from this area and come back,” Warren said.
And come back he did. DeWyze addressed the screaming sea of students, coming together once again for Prospect’s own “American Idol.”
“I haven’t had a chance to thank you yet…,” DeWyze said of the Prospect community and their support during “Idol.” “And I wanted to say thank-you.”
Want more from Lee’s visit? Check out video coverage and a photo album from the event.
Helena Daisy ;) • Sep 26, 2010 at 7:17 pm
video coverage? my you all are so savvy!