Way to go: Claudia Kolanovic, Glen Cove

Claudia Kolanovic auditioned on a whim and ended up with a win.

A sophomore at Glen Cove High School, she was named first-place winner last month of a second annual talent search coordinated by the Glen Cove Arts Council.

For winning she received a $250 check and performed the national anthem last week at a dinner-dance fundraiser of La Fuerza Unida, a Glen Cove-based organization that helps to enhance the social, literary, educational, cultural and economic conditions of Hispanic-Americans. The fundraiser was held at Verdi's of Westbury.

"I went away for the summer and wasn't planning on entering the contest," said Kolanovic, 15, who said all contestants were asked to sing an a cappella version of the national anthem for a panel of judges. "When I got back from summer vacation, there was still time to audition, so I did it on a whim."

Kolanovic is a member of her school's select chorale, wind ensemble, a cappella group and drum line. She plays the flute in the school band and has been playing the piano for nine years.

"It's nice to get positive feedback on my singing," she said. "This boosted my confidence."