Teen 'devoted' to AGT audition

SANDPOINT — The biggest recital of Charlene Rawuka’s life thus far is taking place on Sunday.

The eighth-grade Sandpoint Charter School student and her mother Debra, along with her aunt and grandmother, will be rising early to make an audition for the popular CBS television show “America’s Got Talent.”

In preparation for the big day, Charlene has been keeping a rigorous practice schedule. She performed Wednesday morning at a packed Community Action League meeting, singing “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” a song popularized by Olivia Newton-John in the movie “Grease”. In addition, her musical instructor is assisting her with private practice sessions.

Amidst all the excitement and preparation, Charlene has her mother to thank for the opportunity.

“I signed her up for an audition without her knowing,” Debra said.

Using the show’s website, Debra filled out an application for an audition, describing her daughter’s talent and performance style. She initially kept her actions a secret from Charlene to avoid getting her hopes up.

“I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to live with me if I knew about it,” Charlene said.

When the family started getting calls confirming the audition at the end of January, however, the secret was out.

This Sunday, the family will drive through the early morning to reach Seattle at 8 a.m. Once Charlene is called for her audition, she’ll perform “Hopelessly Devoted to You” in front of a panel of judges. If those judges advance her to the next level, she’ll face another round of judging later.

“I just really, really hope I can make it on the show,” she said.

Given the tough competition she’ll face, its fortunate that Charlene has been singing for most of her life.

“I started singing right about the same time I started talking,” she said.

 Once she reached fourth grade, Charlene started taking her passion more seriously, undergoing lessons and engaging in musical extracurricular activities. Currently in eighth grade, she participates in choir, and her teachers have been talking about her joining one of the school bands. With plenty of performance experience for her young age, including shows at the Panida and the delivery of the national anthem at a demolition derby, stage jitters won’t be a problem. Debra recalls one recital as particularly memorable.

“She made several people cry, including her dad,” she said.

That experience will serve her well come Sunday. Charlene plans to put everything into her audition.

“If you really put your mind to it, you can do anything,” she said.