- [Narrator] The Spotlight Awards is designed to build community inclusion and achievement in Tennessee high school theater programs.

(upbeat music) The awards is actually an extension of many activities that happen throughout the year.

So students participate in professional development sessions, they get to attend professional rehearsals and performances while they are preparing their own production at their high school.

And the Spotlight Awards is the concluding ceremony that recognizes the work of all of the high schools the students and the teachers who participate in the program.

- In five, six, seven.

- We have 44 schools from 13 Tennessee counties participating this year.

So there are two to three students who are here today representing each of these schools to participate in workshops, movement, vocal and then to audition for the finalist positions.

- And my personal journey this year started when our show was chosen as Les Misérables, the school edition.

I was chosen as Jean Valjean.

And after opening night, we got our score sheets back and I found out that I was one of the nominees from our school for the outstanding lead performer this year.

And also the rest of my friends here were chosen from our show, and we now get to come here and compete against 65 other students to see who will get to perform on the stage at TPAC.

♪ Or the way that she does ♪ - It's almost this indescribable feeling because you have seen these people and you've worked with these people at this intensive that we're at today and you've seen how everything has grown and developed so quickly when you're surrounded by such talented, driven people.

And even if you don't end up making it up there as one of the finalists for the outstanding lead nomination, you don't feel bad because you feel so proud of the people that are up there and you're so personally invested in their success.

- [Announcer] This NPT Arts Break is made possible by the generous support of the Martha Rivers Ingram Advised Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.