Ali Jomaa after receiving the award.

DEARBORN — Dearborn’s got talent, and as much was made clear by the students who sang, danced, played music, performed magic tricks and spun basketballs during the city’s high school talent show at the Dearborn Performing Arts Center on Tuesday evening.

Fordson High School senior Ali Jomaa won the first annual “Dearborn’s Got Talent” show, a collaborative effort between Dearborn Public Schools and the City. Jomaa received first place honors from among 20 sets of performers from Fordson, Dearborn and Edsel Ford high schools.  Jomaa’s talent: spinning basketballs. 

His performance included spinning a book on his index finger while spinning four balls at once, two on the tips of his shoes on two on each of his hands. Audience members could not stay in their seats during the performance. They erupted in cheers, as he gradually increased the difficulty of his act.

The audience, which almost filled the 1200-seat Michael A. Guido Theater, was interactive and energetic throughout the evening. Students in the stands chanted encouragingly for their friends who were performing.

Jomaa told The Arab American News he has been practicing spinning basketballs since he was in the fourth grade. 

“I saw my older neighbor do it one day. I went home and I learned. Eight years later, I’m here,” he said. “I learned it all on my own randomly at different times.”

Jomaa voiced his gratitude for winning the contest.  “It’s a good feeling. I can’t take any credit for it because if it wasn’t for God giving me the ability to do it, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. It’s always good to be thankful,” he said.

Prominent city officials, local politicians and school employees sat on the panel of judges that rated the students. Dearborn Police Chief Ron Haddad, Fire Chief Joe Murray, Judge Yvonna Abraham and state representatives David Knezek and George Darany were among the judges.

Edsel Ford students Holly Eatinger and Meredith Brehob finished in second place after singing “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men, while playing the flute and the guitar. Dearborn High School student Ahmad Khatib received third place for his magic tricks.

Youssef Bahlawan missed out on finishing in the top three, despite throwing rose petals on the judges while singing “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Michael Bolton. He described his experience on stage as “exhilarating.” 

He said he was nervous before his act, but backstage exercises reduced his stage fright. “I was hoping on getting one of the top spots,” he said. “But I still had a lot of fun. We were all in it together.”

Dearborn Public Schools Superintendent Brian Whiston said the show was “exciting.”  “It says a lot about the talents we have in our schools,” he stated. 

The superintendent added that “Dearborn’s Got Talent” will be a yearly event. “We have a lot of talent to showcase,” he said.

Dearborn Youth Affairs Commission organized the contest. The commission is a group of high school students and adult coordinators from the City and the schools. 

Students on the board were sworn in as “youth commissioners” last year by Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Jr, according to Dearborn Public Schools director of communications David Mustonen.

Mustonen said the goal of the commission is to unify the students while getting them involved in community service and local issues. “They thought the talent show is a fun project to get their name out there,” said Mustonen. 

The commission held auditions for “Dearborn’s Got Talent” in the city’s three public high schools in November. Ten sets of performers were chosen from Dearborn High, seven from Fordson and four from Edsel Ford. The students performed either solo or in groups of two.