Local Students Wow The Crowd at Gamma Pi’s Annual Omega Talent Hunt Program

A brilliant group of Prince George’s County high school students showcasing a wide range of exciting talents, from proficiency in instrumental music to octave-stretching vocals; and from  swift, sophisticated acrobatic dance moves, to the astoundingly realistic portraits and paintings of visual arts; all “stole the show” at the Annual Omega Talent Hunt sponsored by Gamma Pi Chapter at Charles Herbert Flowers High School on Saturday afternoon, March 14, 2026.

With family, friends and the Brothers of Gamma Pi in attendance, the Helena Nobles-Jones Auditorium at Charles Flowers High School in Springdale was transformed into a local version of America’s Got Talent for little more than two hours. Every one of the performers did an excellent job. It took the judges to sort it all out when it came time to award the top performers, though everyone was deserving of praise.  Tara Jones, a local media arts educator and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., served as the Host.

This year’s overall winner was senior Markai Tatum, of Charles H. Flowers High School, who won the judges and audience over with a classical piano performance of “Prelude in C-sharp Minor” by Sergei Rachmaninov. As the overall winner, he received $500 and will represent Gamma Pi at the Omega Psi Phi 2nd District Conference held on April 30-May 3 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, hosted by the Gamma Pi and Iota Mu Mu Chapters.

Judges also announced category winners for Vocals (Madolin Crim, Charles H. Flowers, senior); Contemporary Dance (Dior Brown, St. Stephens/St. Agnes High School, junior); Visual Art (Aiden Cheewah, Duval High School, senior); and Tatum won the instrumental category. This year’s competition included 17 participants representing eight local schools. The only category that did not have a contestant was drama. Cash prizes for category placers ranged from $100-300. Each non-winner received $50. 

To enhance the impact of the visual arts entries, Gamma Pi added a new video component last year that allows the artists to showcase their works on screen before the entire audience. In prior years, visual artists had to depend on patrons to voluntarily review their work by dropping by tables in the lobby where their handiwork was placed. In presenting their work this way the visual artists are able to elaborate on the thinking and meaning behind their creations. 

Congratulations to Talent Hunt co-chairs Brothers Don Myles and Marcus Davis and the entire Talent Hunt Committee for putting on a fantastic Talent Hunt 2026. It was a show to remember!

MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEO CLIPS

Gamma Pi Talent Hunt Strikes A Chord With the Local Community

Every year, Gamma Pi’s Omega Talent Hunt comes around at about the same time, like a birthday. And just like a birthday, the Super Chapter and its patrons look forward to some type of surprise which they got again this year on Saturday, March 8 during the 2025 program featuring high school students from Prince George’s County performing music, dance and visual arts.

From the melodious tickling of the piano keys to the whine of violin strings rubbing against the bows; to brilliant dance moves to stunning artworks, all produced by young people not yet 20 years old, Gamma Pi’s Talent Hunt had it all.

Overall winner Nikole Chavis

About 100 parents and family members of participating students witnessed the surprising new talent at this year’s Gamma Pi Talent Hunt program from the comfortable confines of the auditorium at Charles Flowers High School in Springdale, Md. A total of 19 student contestants were on the program. The competition categories were dance, vocal music, instrumental music, piano and art.

The overall winner was Nikole Chavis of Crossland High School who performed a dance routine to the selection, “I’m in Here,” by Sia, a songwriter and recording artist. She will travel to Buffalo in April to represent Gamma Pi at the Omega Psi Phi Second District Conference Talent Hunt competition. The ultimate competition will be held at the national level when all of Omega Psi Phi meets this summer at its Leadership Conference in Detroit.

Nikole was overcome with emotion when she found out not only that she won the dance category but she was declared the overall winner. It was a happy moment for her and her family.

Schools represented were Charles Flowers and Crossland high schools along with St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School, Georgetown Day School and Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Bro. Richard Allison, Gamma Pi’s Immediate Past Basileus, served as emcee for the occasion.

A distinguished panel of judges with music and arts backgrounds scored the performances to determine the winners. While on one hand the Talent Hunt is a competition, it is also an opportunity for talented students to showcase their talents, learn how to pursue a dream and persevere until they achieve it, and stretch their mental capacity by identifying and mastering a particular skill or talent. Honing a special talent improves academic skills and encourages growth. Studies have associated participation in music and arts with academic success. Great job by Talent Hunt co-chairs Bros. Marcus Davis and Don Myles!

More photos in Dropbox

 

Overall winner Nikole Chavis shows off her creative dance moves below

 

Inspiring art work

These sketches are awesome

Quinton Sothern sings a solo

Prince George's County's Finest Young Talent Will Be On Display THIS WEEK: Gamma Pi's Annual Talent Hunt



This young singer wowed the crowd

 It’s one thing to flip the channels between “American Idol” and “The X Factor” to see who will be the next great singer, instrumentalist or band. It’s another thing to watch these budding young artists in person. You can do just that in the coming week: see tomorrow’s stars in person when you join Gamma Pi chapter of Omega Psi Phi for the Annual Talent Hunt on Saturday, March 10, at 5 p.m. at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland. Admission is FREE. Bring your family, your friends and especially your students to watch this amazing display of talent from right here in Prince George’s County!

In recent years, the Gamma Pi Annual Talent Show has brought down the house with piercing vocal renditions, classic piano performances, rhythm-inducing guitar and drum solos, Broadway-like dramatic performances and even brilliant displays of artwork evoking memories of the late great African American artist, Romare Bearden. Last year’s overall winner, Malcolm Jackson, floored the auditorium with a Lionel Hampton-like marimba solo. You can relive his stunning performance in the video below.


Bro. Leroy Barton,Jr.



Brother Leroy Barton, Jr., a longtime college-level music instructor and a professional musician, has led Gamma Pi's Talent Hunt efforts for several years. He arranges each year for Gamma Pi to get judges for the competition who are professionally and academically trained in music and the arts. Not just anybody can serve as a judge for Gamma Pi's Talent Hunt. They must be experts in the area.

In recent weeks, Brother Barton has been auditioning local county students for the upcoming program on March 10. Talent Hunt is a popular program among county students and many have showed up at the auditions looking to make it to "the big show." Everyone who has attended Gamma Pi Talent Hunt events over the years has left astonished and amazed at the type and level of talent on the program. Performances have been punctuated by standing ovations and cheers from the audience.

Talent Hunt is a mandated program of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Read more about the purpose of Talent Hunt and other Omega Psi Phi mandated programs: Mandated Programs.

Previous Performances on Video including last year's winner: