23 years ago, Senior Joey Sauer, a student in leadership class, also known as ASB, proposed an idea to his teacher. He wanted to hold an annual talent show at Wenatchee High School to support and honor his teacher, Janice Franz. Unfortunately, at the time she was battling multiple cancers.
Sauer’s idea was taken up by the school. The first ever Janice Franz talent show managed to raise 11,000 dollars at the door and 17,000 dollars overall. Sauer got the rest of his class to work the show. The production was entirely student run. Due to all the support and participation, students had to turn down 300 members of our community at our auditorium doors, generously enough they still wanted to give their support and respect to Franz.
After 2 weeks of crying and feeling so thankful along with seeing the amount of support the talent show can truly provide for others Franz had requested that the show be named after her in her honor and that it continued to be held to support those battling disease and cancer. 27 years passed with the continuation of Janice Franz, raising a quarter of a million dollars for those that need it.
The 29th annual Janice Franz show began on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2026 in the WHS auditorium. It began at 6 p.m. and continued until 7:30. The show featured 11 acts; the Wide Eyes Band, Lander Walker singing and playing guitar, Dance Creations Senior Jazz “Purple Hat,” Vienna Gallie and Summer Johnson ASL signing songs, Jasmine and Lily Cooper performing a singing duet, Apple-Ettes Drill Routine, Icarus Band, Cora, Dominic and Sierra ASL signing songs, Jinnielynn DeBrum singing and playing guitar, Iris Jaffe and Kade Deveraux performing a singing duo and Dance Creations Senior Hip-hop “450.”
This year, the Janice Franz talent show’s donation recipient is Rodrigo Mezquia, an 18-year old boy born in Moses Lake, Wash. who used to attend WHS.
Mezquia has spent his life defying supposedly unbeatable odds. He was born with early health complications and diagnosed with autism with a 13% chance of speaking. Through therapy and the support of his peers, Mezquia beat the odds and became fluent in both Spanish and English. Mezquia discovered art at a young age. By age seven, he was creating his own comic strips and showcasing them at the Wenatchee Valley Museum.
On August 17, 2025, Mezquia was sent to the Seattle Children’s Hospital, battling T-ALL leukemia. This year’s show hopes to raise money and honor for Mezquia and his family so he can beat the odds yet again with unwavering determination and do what he loves most.
