Public invited to annual Lip Sync Battle Friday, May 1 at the Visalia Fox Theatre
Thirteen teams of student performers are set to take the Visalia Fox Theatre stage on Friday, May 1. The student groups are competing in the annual CHOICES Lip Sync Battle for top honors in the Lip Sync and Dance categories. The theme of this year’s event is Rock ‘n Roll. The Lip Sync Battle is a fun way for middle school students to build their self-esteem, while learning to live free from drugs, alcohol, gangs, and bullying.
Competing this year are students from Liberty School (Tulare), Sundale Union School (Tulare), Oak Valley Union School (Tulare), Monson-Sultana Joint Union School (Sultana), Mulcahy Middle School/CHOICES After School Program (Tulare), Kings River Union School (Kingsburg), El Monte Middle School (Orosi), and Waukena Joint Union School (Tulare).
2025 Lip Sync category champion, Monson-Sultana, is returning with a performance entitled, “Elton John Mix,” while Dance category champions, Liberty, is looking to clinch top honors with a routine entitled, “On the Floor.”
The event will feature showings of the top public service announcements created by students who participated in Project Soapbox during the annual Anti-Tobacco and Marijuana Challenge Bowl. Dancers from Sierra Performing Arts will also provide special performances.
The public is invited to attend the free, high-energy event, which begins at 6:00 p.m
Oak Grove takes first in Science Olympiad Division A
This past Saturday, 19 elementary school teams from Tulare and Kings county schools competed in the annual Science Olympiad Division A event.
Students launched rockets and hot air balloons, tested the strength of bridges, and catapulted gummy bears. In addition, they completed tests on subjects related to architecture, astronomy, biology, geology, and the environment.
In the 2026 Science Olympiad Division A (grades 3-6), the winners were:
1st Place: Oak Grove Elementary School, Visalia (Team 9)
2nd Place: Annie R. Mitchell Elementary School, Visalia (Team 1)
3rd Place: Sundale Union School, Tulare (Team 12)
4th Place: Hurley Elementary School, Visalia (Team 4)
5th Place: Golden Valley Elementary School, Visalia (Team 17)
Complete Science Olympiad Division A results will be available at https://tcoe.org/ScienceOlympiad/Results on Thursday.
Around the County
El Diamante High School esports team wins state Mario Kart championships
The El Diamante High School (Visalia) esports team continued its undefeated streak with a 2-1 victory in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe match at the CIF Esports Initiative Championship finals on Saturday. In the championship match, El Diamante came back to defeat Canyon Springs High School of Moreno Valley.
El Diamante’s team is comprised of Nick Guerrero, Nathan Hardy, Evan Nave (captain), Karlie Di Ramos, Branden Carter, and Francisco Lemus.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) tournament is hosted and managed by NASEF, the Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations.
El Diamante will next compete at the national PlayVS Cup, which begins May 18.
For more information on El Diamante’s esports team and their season, find them on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/el_diamante_esports.
For more information about the CIF Esports Initiative, visit https://www.nasef.org/compete/cif-california.
Photo above:
- El Diamante High School won a state championship in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at the CIF Esports Initiative Championship finals. Photo courtesy of CIF State Instagram
Two Tulare County districts and one school recognized for music excellence
NAMM, The National Association of Music Merchants, the largest global not-for-profit music trade organization, and The NAMM Foundation recently announced the recipients of the 2026 Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Awards. From Tulare County, Farmersville Unified School District and Richgrove School District were selected as district winners. Valley Life Charter School was named as a school winner.
One of the NAMM Foundation’s signature programs, BCME, is now in its 27th year of recognizing and celebrating school districts and individual schools for their support and commitment to music education and their efforts to ensure access to music for all students as part of a well-rounded education. For more information about the award, visit https://www.nammfoundation.org/what-we-do/bcme.
Editor: Robert Herman, Communications Director
Contributors: Nayirah Dosu, Jennifer Fisher, Jaime Burnitzki, Brittaney Quinonez, Paula Terrill
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