TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Emily Surak is a talented teenager living her best life as a beauty queen in the Miss Florida Program.
Off the stage, she is a junior at Plant High School. These days she’s turning her passion and love of performing into something special for her peers.
“There is this really cool dancer that can do these moves that I can’t even do,” she says about one of her friends who auditioned for a talent contest Surak is organizing.
The talent show is called, “Be The Voice.” It’s a chance for others to share their talent while raising money for suicide prevention awareness. It’s a personal topic for Surak.
“My entire life I’ve had friends who have struggled with anxiety or depression,” says Surak.
She took her idea straight to Plant High principal, Johnny Bush.
“It’s a great idea, great student awareness. We talked a lot at the beginning of the year about suicide and suicide prevention. I think when things like this come from students, it is a lot more positive and powerful,” says Bush.
While Emily is excited for her friends and classmates to light up the stage, she also wants the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay to have its shining moment.
“I got involved with the Crisis Center to spread awareness, so that it’s not as big of a problem, and so we are actually talking about it,” says Surak.
She’s organized it all, from making posters in her bedroom to hosting auditions.
“At the auditions I saw people who I didn’t even know could sing or were good dancers,” she says with a big smile on her face.
Her hope is that “Be the Voice” lives on, helping anyone who needs it along the way. The proceeds from ticket sales will go straight to the Crisis Center. There will also be a donation table at the talent show.
It is on March 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Plant High School. Learn more here.
