Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Spot-On Arts Academy.

Pelham native Veronica Stern has been named one of the top 20 contestants in the national talent search Give My Regards… run by Spot-On Arts Academy.

Entering her senior year as a musical theater major at CCM, Stern thought the contest was a great way for her to continue to stay focused on her dreams and find comfort to diving back into song during a time that has been riddled with stress and anxiety.  Even though theaters will remain closed through the rest of the year, and her senior year will look a bit different in our new normal, Stern is not letting that get in the way of following her dreams.

Spot-On Arts Academy, a unique multidisciplinary virtual art academy taught by award winning artists, has selected its top 20 contestants in it national talent search Give my Regards… Selected from a pool of countless emerging artists from 46 states and 7 countries, the contest was open to emerging artists of all ages during the spring from the vocal, theater and dance disciplines, and will culminate with six semi-finalists, a performance in an iconic New York City venue and one grand prize-winner who will get the performance opportunity of a lifetime as a featured soloist in a symphonic concert event on the West Coast.

Over the next few weeks, the top 20 contestants will be paired with a teacher and mentor from the Spot-On Arts Academy to review and fine-tune their submissions. Upon resubmission, the pool of applicants will be further pared down to 10 contestants, and conclude with the selection of 5 winners by the celebrity panel, hailing from Hollywood to Broadway and beyond: Kate Flannery (The Office, Dancing with the Stars), Broadway composer Joe Iconis (Be More Chill, Smash), TV star and Broadway legend Anthony Rapp (Rent, Star Trek: Discovery), Broadway and film actor Phillip Johnson Richardson (Hamilton, Little Voice), Broadway and recording artist Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls, Waitress, Top 20 UK Charts), TONY Award-winner Faith Prince (Guys and Dolls, The Little Mermaid), Broadway director, choreographer and named Mayor of Broadway Gerry McIntyre (Once on this Island, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), funny girl Christina Bianco, Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher and recording artist Steven Brault and famed caricature artist Justin “Squigs”Robertson.

A sixth finalist will be selected by public voting.

“After having the pleasure of watching more than 50 hours of submission videos, it became clear that there is an incredible amount of undiscovered talent training, striving and dreaming, all over the world,” said the competition’s founder, Scott Coulter. “There has been such an outpouring of gratitude and enthusiasm, as many artists have been forced to sit on the sidelines in these months of Covid-related closures. This content has helped to revitalize inspiration and hope during this long industry wide pause, and will continue to foster and support these artists until they can take their place center stage again.”