Congratulations to our 2025 finalists who all took away something special from the Amazing Shake experience.
(Video produced and edited by McKinley Hacker)
Finalist Avery Dore:
On being selected: I'm really excited. I didn't make it to the third round last year and for me to get this far and even go to Atlanta is really special to me.
On the best part of the experience: I met so many new people and we connected a lot. We’re always going to remember all the moments we shared together and the fun we had.
On what she learned: Be a leader AND a follower. There are times where you could be a leader and it's right for you and right for everybody else. But there are times when you need to follow and that means you're listening to other people.
On how the skills will help her in the future: Definitely, I've improved on how I think under pressure. I was caught off guard a lot in this competition. I’m comfortable performing in front of an audience because I’ve been doing musical theater for years, but thinking under pressure is a whole different skill.
Semi-finalist Caleb Howard (will travel to Atlanta):
On being selected: I'm one of the only two boys that's ever gotten to go, so that's a great opportunity. I'm just really grateful that I get to go as a seventh grader.
On the best part of the experience: The best part was definitely the first round. My first task was that I had to perform a talent. So I sang Sabrina Carpenter. The judge was really supporting and gave me a good score. That gave me the confidence keep going.
On what he learned: I learned to improvise, and I learned to keep good composure, like smiling, keeping eye contact, and sitting up straight. And I also learned to be grateful to be here and to be able to do this.
On how the skills will help him in the future: It helps in everyday life -- things like going to the grocery store, doing a job, doing an everyday task. It helps me a lot with confidence.
Finalist Emily Howton:
On being selected: It was so hard waiting all day because I really wanted to be a finalist. When they finally announced it, I immediately called my mom and dad because they were texting me all day asking, ‘Have they announced it yet?’ So it runs in the family.
On the best part of the experience: I feel like I made a lot of new friends along the way. This was an experience I’m going to remember my whole life. And the feeling of being a finalist is just amazing.
On what she learned: For me it was a lot about like discovering myself and how I do in situations. Something really amazing that this experience has taught me is while it’s all about making yourself stand out, it's also about working with others. In the end, it didn't feel like a competition. It just felt like a group of people together.
On how the skills will help her in the future: I've always been a good public speaker, but I have a tendency to get in my own head. The Amazing Shake teaches us to move on after saying something and rolling with it instead of questioning. That was great for me.
Finalist Ashtyn Walters:
On being selected: I did it originally for fun, and I decided if I get out, I get out. If I don't, I don't. It's fun, right? But as soon as I learned that I actually was chosen, it was just a very exciting and shocking moment.
On the best part of the experience: I got to do things I wouldn't normally do like doing a talent show for someone. Also, I became friends with 7th graders that I wouldn't normally have a chance to talk to because we're on completely different ends of the school.
On what she learned: People sometimes think leadership is taking control of the whole situation and bossing people around. The Amazing Shake teaches that leaders have to listen, take other people's feelings into consideration and be an advocate for everyone around them.
On how the skills will help her in the future: It definitely helps with public speaking. It also teaches you not to always think about what's best for you, but what's best for your community. And finally, it challenges you to think on your feet.
