Top Finalists Announced—The Spotlight Awaits!
Auditions for the 2026 K12 Talent Showdown have officially wrapped, and we were blown away by the creativity, passion, and skill from K12-powered students nationwide.
From singing and dancing to magic, comedy, and beyond—you showed us what makes you shine.
The top finalists have been selected and are officially invited to compete LIVE on stage at the in-person finals this June!
Check out which talented performers will be stepping into the spotlight:
Musical Performance Finalists
Polly, 2nd Grade
Washington Virtual Academies
Roman, Kindergarten
California Virtual Academies
Kamyah, 2nd Grade
Arkansas Virtual Academy
Isaiah Joshua, 4th Grade
California Virtual Academies
Z2, 5th Grade
Texas Online Preparatory School
Josiah, 3rd Grade
California Virtual Academies
Hudson, 6th Grade
Ohio Virtual Academy
Reina, 8th Grade
Washington Virtual Academies
Leylani, 8th Grade
Digital Academy of Florida
Gerry, 10th Grade
Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy
Grace, 12th Grade
Insight Academy of Arizona
Leilani, 10th Grade
Arkansas Virtual Academy
Creative Performance Finalists
Jade, 2nd Grade
Virginia Virtual Academy
Ali, 2nd Grade
Michigan Virtual Charter Academy
Noemi, 4th Grade
Colorado Preparatory Academy
Landon, 4th Grade
Virginia Virtual Academy
Hayven, 3rd Grade
Iowa Virtual Academy
Faith, 8th Grade
Virginia Virtual Academy
Gabbe Lopez, 7th Grade
California Virtual Academies
Claire, 7th Grade
Ohio Virtual Academy
Abigail, 10th Grade
Virginia Virtual Academy
Bentlieh, 12th Grade
Texas Online Preparatory School
Shaylei, 10th Grade
Fresno Virtual Academies
Variety Acts Finalists
Camila, 2nd Grade
Learning Services Online Academy
Ellie, 2nd Grade
Arkansas Virtual Academy
Ollivander, 3rd Grade
Ohio Virtual Academy
Daniel, 4th Grade
Washington Virtual Academies
Diana, 4th Grade
The Keystone School
Irayana, 6th Grade
Arkansas Virtual Academy
Francesco, 7th Grade
California Virtual Academies
Ryleigh, 8th Grade
Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville
(There were no eligible finalists in the 9–12th grade band in this category.)
What Finalists Could Win
We’ll crown one winner and one People’s Choice award per grade band (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12) in each category—for a total of 24 prizes!
1st Place
$500
(Cash or Amazon e-gift card—your choice!)
People’s Choice
$250
(Cash or Amazon e-gift card—your choice!)
Winners will be announced in June 2026!
Judging Criteria
A panel of judges will review entries based on:
Virtual Round
- Creativity and originality (25%)
- Skill, technique, and execution (25%)
- Presentation and stage presence (25%)
- Overall impact and entertainment value (15%)
- Technical Quality (10%)
In-Person Finals Round
- Creativity and originality (25%)
- Skill, technique, and execution (25%)
- Presentation and stage presence (25%)
- Overall impact and entertainment value (25%)
The in-person final competition will take place on June 9, 2026. Check back then to vote for your favorite talent performances!
Talent Showdown Timeline
Aug. 12–Nov. 17, 2025
Submit your entry
Nov. 18, 2025–Feb. 20, 2026
Judging period
June 2026
Live, in-person finals & public voting. Winners will be announced at this time too.
Before submitting, all participants must agree to these terms upon submitting an entry.
Stay in the know.
