By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - More than 1,000 students packed the Niles High School auditorium Friday morning to witness their fellow students perform for prizes and glory at the annual talent show.
A total of 14 acts ranged from singers and groups playing music from the pop, rap, rock, country, and Christian genres to dancers emulating movies like "Flashdance."
Participants were selected after two tryouts.
Niles High School social studies teacher DeLane Overton and English teacher Jerry Holtgren emceed the event, which seemed to be popular with the crowd.
The Niles High School annual talent show returned to three years ago and continues to grow each year, said assistant principal Robert Smith.
At least one Niles alumnus came back to perform in this year's talent show. Rachel Clark, a sophomore at Western Michigan University, performed with her brother, junior Taylor Clark, and friend Jess Silk, as the band "Stage Fright Remedy."
They played two original songs, "Getting Deeper" and "Take Me Home."
The group won the 2002 talent show and have been performing together for about one and one half years.
Rachel said the band has plans to release a full length compact disc in January. The group records their songs in the Clark's house, which holds a recording studio, she said.
Clark said the crowd for the talent show was the most people the group has ever played for.
Smith said the show is one of many things the school does to promote the talent and diversity of the student body at Niles High School. 
After the judging was done, it was decided there was no clear cut winner. The prize money of $25 was divided evenly between each group. Any profits will be used for other school activities in the future, Smith said.