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Barrington students ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond,’ earn visit from Rihanna
Rihanna performs a concert last summer at the United Center in Chicago. Later this year, she will visit Barrington High School students, who won her "Shine Bright Like a Diamond" contest. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
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Updated: February 22, 2013 11:19AM
BARRINGTON — International music superstar Rihanna will be visiting Barrington High School this spring.
The school’s television and video students earned the visit by winning first place in the national “Shine Bright Like a Diamond” contest, which is named after Rihanna’s hit 2012 song, Diamonds.
The five-minute, student produced video highlighted all of the school’s recent volunteer and community service efforts, including students’ work with Gigi’s Playhouse, Brother’s Keeper, Relay for Life and A Ride for Three Reasons.
“As a school, we do so much charity work,” said junior Peter Chung, who was the lead editor of the winning video. “We tried to get in as much as possible. We didn’t want to leave anyone out.”
“I thought it was an ideal way to showcase what the television class does and what the high school does as a whole,” added Jeffrey Doles, the school’s television and video teacher. “We saw this as an opportunity to showcase students’ work and make a difference.”
Chung, who noted that 53 schools competed in the contest, said his students found out in mid-December that their video earned the pop star’s visit. A date has not been set for Rihanna’s appearance.
“Instantly, it kind of took over Facebook and Twitter,” said Chung, explaining that the news still generates lots of excitement in the BHS hallways.
“You walk through the hallways and you hear people talk about it,” added fellow junior Catherine Goetze, who did the voice-over work for the winning video.
She added that the television class will try to entice Rihanna to perform during her visit.
“We’re going to see if we can have a performance at the school to benefit the organizations that are featured in the video,” Goetze explained.
Chung said the class is reaching out to Rihanna’s agents to try and arrange the local benefit concert.
“It would probably be a benefit concert to support the organizations in the video,” he said.
Chung explained that the “Shine Bright Like a Diamond” contest, which was judged by Rihanna and her representatives, selected the winning video based on originality, creativity and inspirational quality.
The other contest finalists were Timber Creek High School in Orlando and Queen Creek High School in Phoenix. They received posters signed by the star.
Doles said Rihanna is performing in March at the United Center in Chicago, and her visit will likely take place around that time.
