Brett Oplotnik, a graduate of Blue Valley Northwest High School, was named the 2023 KC SuperStar during the competition’s finals on Aug. 27 at Johnson County Community College.
Now in its 14th year, KC SuperStar is Kansas City’s premiere high school singing competition in the style of “American Idol” and “The Voice.” KC SuperStar is produced by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City (The J) and is its largest fundraiser; this year’s fundraising total came in at $1.2 million.
Prior to being chosen as this year’s KC SuperStar, Oplotnik and nine other finalists performed in a show with the theme of “J-TV” (like the popular MTV channel) featuring a montage of music popular in the 1980s. The finalists came from nine different schools in the metro.
The evening also included Heidi Gardner, TV and film actress and Kansas City native, as celebrity host and performer. Fox 4 Kansas City anchor Abby Eden emceed the evening.
“The talent at KC SuperStar was fantastic and, once again, the community support for The J was incredible, ”said Lisa Schifman, KC SuperStar co-chair along with her husband, Ken Schifman. “There was so much energy onstage and in the audience. We are grateful to the many sponsors and patrons who came out to celebrate The J in this fun and special way.”
In addition to a comedy set by Gardner, 2022 KC SuperStar Cara Parisi returned to perform for the audience. The group of 10 finalists was whittled down to the top four singers by a three-judge panel of entertainment professionals consisting of Millie Edwards, Richard McCroskey and Tina Maddigan. The audience then voted for the top prize winners.
Oplotnik took the title prize, followed by Emma-Kate Salin, second place winner and recipient of a $5,000 scholarship; both had been KC SuperStar finalists in past years. Third place went to Faryn Clevenger (who received a $2,500 scholarship), and fourth place went to Jenna Holland (who received a $1,000 scholarship). The remaining finalists each received $500 scholarships.
Following a TV interview the next morning, Oplotnik headed to Missouri State University to study musical theater, while Salin traveled to Brigham Young University-Idaho to begin her college career. Clevenger is a senior at Shawnee Mission West, and Holland is a senior at Oak Park High School.
In its 14 years, KC SuperStar has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for individuals and families. Because of the community’s generosity, The J has been able to provide $550,000 in financial aid. KC SuperStar is the largest fundraiser for The J.
