EdTech Karaoke 2020 Announces Livestream Karaoke Competition Featuring Top Educators As Performers

EdTech Karaoke is announcing its livestream karaoke competition (#ETK20) featuring top educators as performers. The competition is December 10 at 6pm PST, and registration for the free event is open now at https://www.edtechkaraoke.com.

Event organizer Derek Saruwatari says EdTech Karaoke has been the largest karaoke party at ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and other education conferences around the United States for approximately 10 years. “At these events, finalists compete in front of a live audience for a chance to be crowned ‘ETK Voice of the Year,’” he says, “The winner also gets free admission and a plane ticket to a future ISTE Conference.”

This year’s finalists have been announced: Ranchelle Wyatt of Dallas, TX; Maegan Sloan of Charlotte, NC; Clayton Musick of Boynton Beach, FL; Seri Roslan of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Jed Cabela of Batangas, Philippines. All the audition videos are viewable at https://flipgrid.com/edtechkaraoke.

Saruwatari says in the weeks leading up to the final competition, more than 80 participants entered submissions in an online format using just a webcam and microphone. “COVID-19 caused us to change the method in which we would have our educators compete,” he says, “But because this is a recognition and giving back opportunity, we wanted to make sure to keep the event itself going. The show must go on!”

EdTech Karaoke started with just 100 people at an open mic night after an annual education conference, and grew every year into what became this organized competition. “We really were just looking to have fun and let loose at the end of a professional event,” Saruwatari says. “The main objective is to provide a spotlight for teachers who do so much all year. We want to showcase the creativity of those who are educating our children.”

In recent years it’s been typical for organizers to collaborate with several joint sponsors in the educational technology field to host 1,500-2,500 attendees at the annual competition, which would feature a professional karaoke band at a venue such as the House of Blues, Chicago; The Fillmore, Philadelphia; Union Transfer, Philadelphia; Aztec Theatre, San Antonio; and Tabernacle, Atlanta.

Although auditions for this year’s competition are now closed, there is still the opportunity to enter bonus contests for “Most Creative,” “Best Props, Scene, Use of Flipgrid Camera,” and “Fan Favorite,” which rewards the creator of the audition video that garnered the most engagement. Bonus contest winners will be announced at the livestream.

Registration to attend EdTech Karaoke 2020 is at https://www.edtechkaraoke.com, where photos from past events are also viewable. Organizers encourage teaches and friends to check out, vote for, and comment on their favorite performance!