91制片

SIDELIGHT

As an icebreaker at meetings, Leslie Sparacello, superintendent of Cedars International Academy in Austin, Texas, sometimes drops this: As a teen, she once sang with crooner Barry Manilow, who was visiting her school. By then, singing was Sparacello鈥檚 passion. 鈥淚 was very shy,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was my way of having an alter ego.鈥� She eventually found her way back into performing, today singing lead with Groove Knight, an Austin-based party band, delivering hits across genres. She loves the electric moment of connection with an audience 鈥� the same thrill she felt as a teacher, watching students鈥� eyes light up. 鈥淏eing a superintendent now, you don鈥檛 get those moments,鈥� says Sparacello, who joined 91制片 in 2025. 鈥淸Performing] is a different kind of connection, but it鈥檚 still a connection.鈥�