At the Junior Talent Show on Sept. 26, the class of 2026 showcased their talents while honoring the graduating class of 2025.

Junior year marks an important transition for Branson students, as they go from being underclassmen to school leaders. JTS allows members of the junior class to bond with each other and celebrate their senior counterparts.

“It’s a good way to bond over the senior class leaving,” said Reese Furhman ‘25. Furhman described JTS as a “passing of the torch” from one class to the other.

One way in which the senior class was involved in JTS was through audience participation. Several acts required seniors to participate in activities.

“The cake designing one was pretty good,” said Rohan Metzler ‘25. Metzler fondly recalled seeing his fellow seniors guide a group of blindfolded juniors as they decorated cakes.

Seniors also participated in a Branson trivia game, in which they dunked juniors’ heads into buckets of water when they answered questions incorrectly.

“Everyone’s forced to be together and publicly embarrass themselves,” said Furhman.

At the end of the show, after Barry Liu’s piano rendition of Kanye West’s “Runaway,” which brought several seniors to tears, the class of 2025 was invited onstage to enjoy Remy DeJean and Matyas Stanek’s DJ set.

“I thought it was really fun when [the seniors] all ran up onstage, and we were onstage, and it just felt like we were really close as classes,” said Elena Trimble ‘26.

Starting the year off with JTS has not only given the junior class a way of honoring the seniors —  it has also allowed the senior class to see a different side of the juniors.

“There was great talent to be found in this junior class,” said Furhman.