The TOP 25 is a select group of students from the Vocal Music Department at Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio. The singers are chosen by audition for their singing and performance abilities. They present a program of show tunes, pop music, "oldies" and contemporary songs. The show includes a variety of staged and choregraphed music.

The Top 25 was founded in 1965 by Theodore H. Hieronymus, whose work and enthusiasm, with that of Jane Hieronymus sustained the group for thity years. Under new direction this year, the Top 25 is in its thirty-first year of performances serving lake County and the northeastern areas of Ohio. The singers perform regularly for community events, schools, church organizations, banquets and at festivals in northeast Ohio.

Performing tours in the United States have included travel to major cities on the east coast, west coast, and in between. They have traveled to Canada, Mexico, and many European countries, including Scandinavia, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic.

The Top 25 is under the direction of Terry DiFranco Herschman. Mrs. Herschman has been the vocal music director at Ridge Junior High School for 19 years. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from Kent State University in 1977 and Master of Music degree from Kent State in 1987. She is the Treasurer for OMEA District 7, immediate past president and current vice-president of the Lake County Music Educators' Association, and an active adjudicator for OMEA sponsored events. She is actively involved in restructuring the 7/8/9 curriculum at Ridge.

Assistant director, Glenn Kulma. is in his fourth year of teaching at Memorial Junior High School, where he is the choir director. A Mentor High School alumnus, and Top 25 alumnus as well, Mr. Kulma received his Bachelor of Music in 1989 from Heidelburg College. He is presently doing graduate work toward a Master of Education degree from Ashland University. He coaches girls soccer at Mentor High School and is a member of the restructuring committee at Memorial.

The 1995-1996 Top 25 Show has been choreographed by Laurel Milcoff Hart. Laurel is a native of Cleveland Heights who spent 25 years in Washington D.C., before moving back to Chagrin Falls. She majored in Secondary Education at George Washington University and earned her Masters Degree in higher education at Ohio State. She has studied ballet, tap and jazz. She is both a choreographer and performer and has appeared as Connie in Chorus Line, Sally Bowles in Cabaret and Charity in Sweet Charity. She is proudest of the two productions created with her drummer husband, Bill: their two children Cassie and Justin!

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Lift you up (28.5M)
Can't Help Lovin' That Man (19.5M)
The Auctioneer (21.5M)
Best Of The Beachboys (52.5M)

Video footage for this years group was donated to the site by Becky Spieth Rittman. Thank-you Becky! Russ