By Stacey Tucker
Staff Writer
REESE — Tuscola County’s own ‘Rising Star’ touched down in Reese Thursday afternoon to sing and talk to the students about following their dreams.
Megan Tibbits, a Caro native and contestant on ABC’s televised singing competition “Rising Star”, told the students at Reese Elementary School sometimes doing the right thing takes courage.
“Think really quietly,” Tibbits told the young students. “What do you like to do and what do you want to do for a job someday.
“Those are called dreams. And if you really want to do something, it’s possible to follow your dreams.”
Tibbits said she credits her experiences on “Rising Star” and moving to Los Angeles with being able to follow her dreams.
“I talk about my experiences and how to follow your dreams,” she said. “I talk about being on “Rising Star” and how exciting and scary it was.
“It’s taken my career to a whole new level and I love being able to come back and talk to kids and share my experiences.”
Tibbits has been following her dreams since she was a little girl. When she was two years old, she began touring around the country with her family band, Living Truth. She began tracking harmonies on albums by the age of six, playing piano by age seven, writing songs on her guitar by age twelve, and studying instruments such as the harp, oboe and saxophone.
In college, Tibbits received her bachelors degree in music education and upon graduation, joined the performance company The Young Americans, where she spent two years performing and teaching music in Europe, Japan and all around the United States.
She is now finding success as a folk/soul artist, performing at the House of Blues, The Whiskey A Go Go and The Mint.
Reese Elementary School principal Kristine Kreiger said their music teacher, Sommer Page heard Tibbits was coming home and was wanting to talk to area schools.
“Miss Page brought it to my attention,” Krieger said. “She liked her positive message.
“She’s very good at tayloring it for any grade level.”
After speaking with kindergarten through third grade, Tibbits spoke with fourth and fifth grades and then visited the Reese High School.