Lead singer William Snow of Pottsville, drummer Levi Neufeld of Mena and guitarists J.C. Jones of Pottsville and Jack Carrillo of Katy, Texas, had only been bandmates for about a month when they took the stage at Witherspoon Auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 8.
Now they are Tech’s Got Talent 2026 champions.
Collectively known as The Snow Birdz, the quartet won over a capacity crowd with its performance of a song entitled “These Days.” The band earned the $500 first prize based upon online voting by their fellow Arkansas Tech University students in attendance.
Tech’s Got Talent is an annual competition for Arkansas Tech students sponsored by ATU Student Activities Board.
Tess Harper of Fort Smith captured second place and $350 with her vocal performance of “Six String.” Techtonic Brass Band took third place and $250 with its jazzy interpretation of the song “Brooklyn.”
Members of Techtonic Brass Band included Samuel Spann of East End, Gabe Hodges of Russellville and Natalie Sanders of Cabot on saxophone, Caelah Carvin of Hot Springs and Cole Boster of Russellville on trumpet, Timothy Hernandez of Ozark and Gabe Graff of Cabot on trombone, Lorenzo Castelano of Dardanelle on tuba and Ryder May of Hot Springs on drums.
Other Tech’s Got Talent contestants selected through competitive auditions to perform in the finals were Wiley Harris of Cotter (vocal, guitar and harmonica), Cloud Perdue of Paris (dance), Emily Cross of Clarksville (vocal), Kyler White of Lavaca (vocal, guitar and harmonica), Essynce Norwood of Fort Smith (vocal) and B.J. Walton of Clarksville and Kennedy Spring of Berryville (color guard routine).
Ryan Taylor, ATU director of digital content, and Kylie Kelly of Russellville, ATU SAB president, served as masters of ceremonies for the event.
