A Rockford sixth-grader and a father-son juggling duo took home the top prizes in the fourth-annual competition and fundraiser. The story and photo gallery at Local Spins.

Juggling to the Top: Aiden and Josh Proefrock on stage Saturday night. (Photo/Anna Sink)
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Four years ago, Rockford’s version of the national TV sensation, “America’s Got Talent,” debuted with West Michigan pianist Porter Kenyon and guitarist Lily Harper topping all other performers to win the first-ever “Rockford’s Got Talent” competition.
On Saturday night, the 2025 edition of Rockford’s Got Talent heated up the Fine Arts Auditorium at Rockford High School with six West Michigan performers in the Youth Division and five in the Adult Division — covering a wide range of music and entertainment.
In the end, the juggling duo of Joshua Proefrock, aka Mr. Juggling Man, and his 14-year-old son, Aiden, took home the top prize in the open division based on their impressive and occasionally amusing routine, with North Rockford Middle School sixth-grader Mary Salo winning the Youth Division after singing an original song, “Future Life.”

Youth Division Winner: Mary Salo (Photo/Anna Sink)
Salso also won the People’s Choice Award, based on online voting for fans’ favorite performers. Voters donated $5,367 to the cause as part of the online balloting, with half going to Salo as the winning performer and the other half to the Rockford Area Community Foundation and the Krause Memorial Library expansion project.
Meadow Ridge Elementary School third-grader Nora Lamb, 8, came in second in the youth division, after impressing judges with her animated rendition of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” with 15-year-old country singer Murphy Dorais of Rockford taking third place after crooning a George Strait tune.
In the open division, guitarist-singer Lily Harper — a past Rockford’s Got Talent winner — came in second, followed by Eric Salo, who performed a stand-up comedy routine.
Donations and ticket sale proceeds raised more than $40,000 in the Saturday benefit for RACE and the library expansion project.
Other Youth Division performers were David Wyatt, Brayden Burgess and Katelyn McDonald. Kevin Joseph and Brandon Akerman performed in the open division.
Judges for the annual event included West Michigan musician Dennie Middleton (who also performed on stage while judges’ votes were being tabulated), WZZM TV13’s Catherine Behrendt, music teacher Erika Rito and Local Spins publisher John Sinkevics.
PHOTO GALLERY: Rockford’s Got Talent 2025
Photos by Anna Sink