Students packed the auditorium for an annual tradition that mixes music, nerves and creativity on May 16. NHS Coffeehouse, a student-led performance event, gave performers a chance to step out of their comfort zones and share their talents in front of a live audience.
Junior Maeve Hermes, an NHS member since sophomore year, said Coffeehouse is one of the group’s most anticipated events. “It’s all forms of talent that comes from the high school,” she said. “We hold auditions, and it’s just like singing, some dancing kind of like a talent show.”
Hermes said the spring Coffeehouse stood out. “Everyone’s really good, but I think this year, the flow of it was very unique,” she said. “There was a jazz number, and one of my favorites was a song called Spoil Me, it had singing and guitar. Everyone’s just really talented.”
Senior Caleb Berry, who performed with a student band, said the crowd’s energy made the experience unforgettable.
“We started playing Head Over Heels and the whole audience joined in,” he said.
Berry said the band came together in the winter and writes original songs as well as performing covers. “My friend actually writes a lot of our music,” he said. “We figured we’d just put all our instruments together and see what happens.”
Junior Grace Young, who helped coordinate the show, said the group worked with Stillwater’s tech crew and auditorium staff to bring the event to life. “My co-partner Aiden and I organized auditions and put together the show,” she said. “It’s definitely one of my favorite events because you get to see all the talent from our school.”
While Coffeehouse happens twice a year, once in the winter and again in spring, students say it is more than just a performance. “You don’t really get to hear people like this in your everyday,” Hermes said. “They’re not singing in the hallways. So it’s cool to see that side of them.”
“It was just fun,” Berry said. “I’d definitely do it again if I could.”
With both winter and spring showcases held annually, NHS plans to continue the tradition next school year spotlighting student talent one performance at a time. The NHS Coffeehouse will return next school year with new acts and fresh energy. But for many, the experience already left a lasting impression.
