Teen Idol

Produced by Dennis Gleason


11 years of dedication to
Portland Area Youth



With closure of Yahoo Small Business, Verizon required a new website be built.

As Teen Idol was essentially discontinued in Fall of 2017 with Season 11, we

wanted to start porting pictures, videos and information about the program here

and will start doing so in the coming months as time allows - there is a lot to do.


I wanted to thank the thousands of students and hundreds of volunteers with the City of Portland,

City of Beaverton and City of Hillsboro that in one way or another contributed to the program.


Also want to thank the many companies, agencies, programs and events Teen Idol in all its forms

Portland Teen Idol (2007-2011) Transferred from Portland Parks to Dark Wing Productions

Beaverton Teen Idol (2014-15) helped cities' Youth Advisory Board create then acquired by DWP

Hillsboro Teen Idol (dates unknow) sent applicants our way after they closed down


Check back here in May to see additional information as we get the site updated.




Teen Idol Performance



Portland Parks 2015 - Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Oregon State Fair 2018 - Rainezra Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Oregon State Fair 2018 - James Gardner Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Oregon State Fair 2018 - Natalie Braley - S11



Teen Idol Performance



Oregon State Fair 2018 - Season 9 & 10



Teen Idol Performance



Portland Parks - Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Portland Parks 2015 - Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Portland Parks 2015 - Lauren White Season 9



Teen Idol Performance



Marion County Fair 2015 - Season 9



fun things about teen idol may don't know





started



Teen Idol originated as Portland Teen Idol in 2006 as the brain child of former Portland Parks South Services Manager Jeff Milkes through his daughter. They managed the program from Season 1 2007 to 2010. Though the baton was passed between producers from 2008 to 2009, it was a start of a great run benefited by many of Portland area youth.



Take over



Budget cuts and personnel changes with in Portland Parks caused the program to sunset after Season 4 concluded in 2010. Dark Wing Productions assumed the program in 2011 as a community benefit program. The Portland Parks program continued to help with paying for some rentals for us and set up free use of facilities for auditions and some performances. Producer also donated his payment for Parks videos played before Movies in the Park to help pay for Teen Idol.



inclusive



At its largest recruiting year, students tried out from 77 schools in Oregon & SW Washington in 2014. In total, students from 91 schools have competed under Dark Wing Productions 2011-2017. With four previous years under Portland, its estimated another dozen Portland area schools may have also been involved.



Identity



Teen Idol throughout its reign had a total of 4 logos used, not including acquired Beaverton Teen Idol. Original logo changed when DWP acquired in 2010 and second when name changed to just Teen Idol to remove the "Portland" suggestive title. As we had more students from outside of Portland than in, it only made sense. The initial logo under the City of Portland was a knock off American Idol's original logo what was a marketting and licensing concern.



national



Throughout the years, many former Teen Idol students competed in, and got far, in national competitions. American Idol: Lovey James(S5) Madison Shanley(S3) Moora Mesa(S1) Aubrey Cleland(S3) Nashville Star: Charlie Danger(S1). Teen Idol Judge Haley Johnsen also did well on American Idol. Producer Dennis Gleason worked with AI producers to get students in front of the line at both Oregon auditions and a few others front of line at the Seattle auditions for two of the off years. Over 80 students tried out, 45 as part of the front of line pass.


COMMUNITY



Over 300 people have helped volunteer for Teen Idol just while ran by DWP. Finale competitions alone have had over 80 for a single day. It includes parents, former contestants, television, sponsors, event volunteers and more. Teen Idol paid out less than $2,000 for work payments in all 7 years - all were contract personnel that worked for the stages we rented. No Teen Idol staff recieved payment including DWP, Dennis or directors.



MORE FUN FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW





credit



Some Teen Idol auditions, elimination rounds and performances, have been updated on IMBD.com. Some other performances have actually aired on local public access television. It is the long term goal, even with the program discontinued, to have all near 200 performances on IMDB giving credit to all the volunteers, contestants and staff possible.



NATIONAL ANTHEM



Teen Idol, unlike any other program of its kind that we've found, is the only singing related program that required contestants learn and perform the National Anthem. It was required for all performances where the program or event we were at that hadn't immediately before hand, already had it performed. Teen Idol also on occasion, had siblings, kids in the audience and in one case, a Korean War vet hold the Flag for the National Anthem to engage even more people in the productions.



attendance



Under DWP, Teen Idol had many performances during the summer to ensure all the students had ample opportunity to meet their performance contract agreement. No contestant, not even the winner, was expected to be at all of them. Only 2 people are known to have had perfect tour attendance - Daniel Nyounai-Herrera (Season 7 Spanish Winner) and Jesse Rosario (Season 8 English Finalist)



Versatility



Teen Idol is one of the only youth programs in Oregon to include non-English components and the only one to include non-Singing. Producer Dennis Gleason while serving on the Oregon League of Minority Voters decided that since Spanish was not included in the agency, that he'd add it to his own. Seasons 6, 7 & 9 had Spanish competitions, Seasons 6 & 9 had standup comedy and 9 even had a Russian winner.



no drama



When national shows love drama, make fun of under developed performers and use both as content and ratings boosts, Teen Idol didn't allow any of it. Trouble makers, rude contestants, over bearing parents met with a good by. Auditions where students that didn't make the cut were not and will never be in any public production. Those who refused to perform for the tour, were let go. Anyone that made it through that caused issues later, were not asked back. Decisions were always based on the collective good. Not ratings.



Production



Though hundreds volunteered an truly were necessary for Teen Idol to be the success it was, many are not aware the Dennis Gleason, the producer, put in an estimated 400 hours every year on the program. The program never made a profit by design, in fact it fell short most seasons, but he donated what wasn't raised in ticket sales. He never got paid, reimbursed and wouldn't accept either even if offered.



Contact us:
Info@TeenIdol.org



Teen Idol 2006 - 2018