YARMOUTH, Maine — Cumberland's Julia Gagnon was recently voted into the "American Idol" Top 7 in this season's competition. While Gagnon is off chasing her dreams in Hollywood, people back home have been sending her much support and well wishes.
The latest event in her honor: "HONK If You Love Julia!"
North Yarmouth Academy's (NYA) second-grade class spent the afternoon urging drivers to honk in support of Gagnon.
NYA teacher Shannon Gallagher taught Gagnon, an NYA alum. When Gallagher saw her former student get the opportunity of a lifetime on American Idol, she took it upon herself to enlist more fans. Now, Gallagher's second-grade students are more like "superfans."
The class wrote on posters and stood along the street Wednesday afternoon to urge drivers passing by to "honk" for Gagnon.
"We always knew that she would be a star and now the whole world is seeing that," Gallagher said. "It’s just been really, really awesome and inspiring to watch her grow, and I’m just really proud of her."
Gagnon's voice coach, Jaye Gagnon, said watching her earn her ticket to Hollywood and perform on the American Idol stage every week has been "surreal."
"You can see she’s humble, and I think it’s just so refreshing," Jaye Gagnon said.
Gagnon will sing on Sunday to compete for her chance to make it into the "American Idol" Top 5. The theme of the next episode will have all contestants performing songs by Adele.