“Elliot was gentle, kind, and bright,
The sort of kid who did what's right.
He said "good morning" with a grin,
And held the door to let folks in.
He shared his snacks and shared his toys,
He cheered up sad and lonely boys.
He tied his shoes, he made his bed,
And read his little sister books instead.
He'd feed the cat and sweep the floor,
Then run outside and do some more.
No task too small, no chore too tough—
For Elliot, kind was never enough.
Then one bright day, the news came through,
Mr. Bubbles had something new.
"A contest, kids! Come one, come all!
The winner gets a superstar call!"
"You'll star on screen with Hunter Max,
The pop star loved from coast to backs!
Just show us kindness, show us heart,
And you might get your big-time start!"
So Elliot tried a little more,
He helped his neighbor mow and store.
He waved at strangers, hummed a tune,
And picked up trash beneath the moon.
By Friday, phones began to ring,
The whole town buzzed like it was spring.
"He won! He won! Our Elliot won!"
He'd shine in Hollywood, under the sun!
The car ride out was long and far,
Past desert roads and one bright star.
And when they turned the final bend,
He saw the sign—the trip's grand end.
HOLLYWOOD, in letters white,
Perched on the hills, a glowing sight.
The sky was gold, the air was warm,
His little heart began to storm.
The call time came at four a.m.,
The set was busy, packed with them—
The crew all bustled, ran, and rolled,
While Elliot yawned, half-asleep and cold.
The lights were huge, the lights were bright,
They buzzed and hummed with blinding white.
The cameras slid on shiny tracks,
While workers hauled their heavy packs.
There were road cases, tall and gray,
And cables coiled out of the way.
A man with headphones checked the sound,
As crew kept marching all around.
"Places, please!" a loud voice cried,
And Elliot stood, wide-eyed inside.
They'd shoot a scene, then shoot again,
Then wait an hour, then wait again.
The hours stretched, so long and slow,
Take one, take two, take ten to go!
"Reset the lights!" "Move that stand!"
The set was loud, and oh so grand.
But then it came—the moment true,
The one that made him tremble through.
The camera pointed, red light on,
And Elliot froze—his brave was gone.
His hands went cold, his knees felt weak,
He couldn't dance, he couldn't speak.
His eyes went blurry, filled with tears,
His head was buzzing full of fears.
"I can't," he whispered, small and low,
"There's way too many eyes, you know."
His lip began to shake and quiver,
His whole small body gave a shiver.
But Hunter Max, who saw it all,
Walked over slow and stood up tall.
He knelt right down and took a knee,
"Hey, little buddy—look at me."
"I know it's big, I know it's bright,
I know your heart is full of fright.
But guess what, pal? I felt it too,
My first big day, I froze like you."
"The lights were huge, the crowd was loud,
I nearly cried in front of the crowd.
But someone taught me something wise—
Just find one friend, and meet their eyes."
"Forget the crowd, forget the noise,
It's only you and me, two boys.
We're gonna dance, we're gonna play,
And have some fun—so what do you say?"
Then Elliot wiped his tears away,
And felt his fear begin to sway.
"Okay," he said, "I'll give it a shot,
With you right here, I'll give it my lot."
"That's it!" said Hunter with a cheer,
"Just keep me close, I'm right here.
The beat's inside you—feel it start,
The best moves come straight from the heart."
So step by step they found the groove,
And Elliot's fear began to move.
His feet got light, his smile grew wide,
With Hunter grinning at his side.
"And ACTION!" called the crew once more,
But now his fear was out the door.
He spun and clapped and dipped and swayed,
The greatest take they'd ever made!
The crew all cheered, the lights beamed down,
The best young star in Hollywood town!
"That's a wrap!" the director said,
As pride lit up in Elliot's head.
The video dropped that very night,
And oh, it was a huge delight!
It broke the charts, it spread so wide,
With millions watching, starry-eyed!
But Elliot learned a truer thing,
Much more than fame a star can bring.
It's kindness, courage, giving your best—
And leaning on a friend for the rest.
So if you're scared and feel so small,
And think you cannot dance at all,
Just find your friend, then give it a try—
You might be next to shine that high!”
- by Mitchell Royel & Deck from Mitch Leyor
