By Katelyn Favretto

“She just lit up the room” says Silver Birches Senior Public School teacher Bil Carr of Canadian synth-pop singer/songwriter Lights Poxleitner. “Hard to believe she was here only nine years ago. She was always a very bubbly, free spirited, polite young lady.” Lights, formerly Valerie Poxleitner is coming to visit her old stomping grounds and perform live Sunday November 22 at the Capitol Centre.

She has a pet tarantula, collects swords and could probably show you a few tricks on World of Warcraft 2. Lights is a 22 year old Juno winning, electronic, inter-galactic pop princess currently

topping the charts with her first full length album “The Listening”. She rocks a mean key-tar and plays catchy feel-good tunes that include “Saviour” and “February Air”. Lights kicked off her Canadian tour November 11 in Vancouver and plans to hit North Bay to show us how far she’s come.

Lights wasn’t an ordinary kid. Born in Timmins Ontario her parents travelled the world on missionary trips and home-schooled her until she was 13. She lived in Callander and attended Silver Birches Senior Public School for her Grade 8 year. She soon realized what an extraordinary kid she really was. “(Lights) was really confident and knew who she was. Definitely a leader and not a follower,” explains Kayla McGuire, former childhood friend. “She was very musical during that time. She played the guitar and entered the school talent show and also was voted valedictorian for her graduation. I think I still have a demo tape she gave me. I better hang on to it now!” says McGuire. Constantly writing and recording with her very supportive parents, Lights had a head start finding her roots and developing her own sound.

Lights is no stranger to the Capitol Centre stage. She won the part of “Artie the

Octopus” one of the lead roles in the Dreamcoat production of “Jacob Two Two Meets The Hooded Fang” in 2000. Denis Gardner remembers her having two solos and dance numbers. “She had a strong voice and moved very well,” he recalls.

Larry Malboeuf didn’t teach Lights at the time she attended Silver Birches but remembers her in the hallways. “You know it’s funny, last night I was searching YouTube looking for some acoustic guitar demos because I’m learning how to play. I come across this carismatic, bubbly, young woman and there’s just something about her, she looked very familiar,” Mr. Malboeuf recalls. “And now today, you’re telling me she went to this school? Talk about a coincidence.”

Silver Birches is buzzing over

this news as well as many

locals that knew her. “It’s such

a great inspiration to have a

former student make it big.

Something a lot of the girls

here can look up to,”

Mr. Carr says.