NORMAL - Just what kind of people epitomize the town of Normal, population 50,500, home of Illinois State University and half of the Twin Cities?

Toshiba, the California-based maker of laptop computers, apparently thinks it's a skateboard enthusiast, a photographer, a ghost investigator and beer brewers.

The company won't release the names of local contestants it chose for a national Internet contest until July 15, and a contract forbids contestants from talking to the media. However, The Pantagraph has learned who was chosen from the hundreds who tried out during casting calls last month.

Mikey Lentz, Amy Endicott, Deborah Senger and Katy Tilley will represent Normal in the contest featuring ways everyday people use Toshiba laptops.

They will be pitted against people chosen from Boring, Ore., a community of about 10,000 near Portland. Online votes will determine which town wins the grand prize: $15,000 in laptop computers for its school district. In Normal's case, the laptops would go to Unit 5 schools.

Filming already has started.

A film crew was in Bloomington on Saturday to gather footage of Lentz, a Bloomington skateboard enthusiast and one of the coordinators of the annual Sk8 Jam, also known as B-Town Throw Down, skateboard competition at O'Neil Park.

Lentz, 21, who works at Shock Waves skate shop in Normal, was at the first day of casting calls in late May.

Two more public events are planned July 5 to get footage of two other contestants, Tilley, a manager at Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works, and Amy Endicott, a photographer who also works at Country Financial.

A fourth contestant, ghost investigator Deborah Senger, conducted a ghost investigation for the Toshiba cameras on a recent weekend, The Pantagraph has learned.

Aron North, who works for YR Brands, a California advertising agency handling publicity for the Toshiba contest, would not confirm any of the information.

But others did.

"I can confirm that the Toshiba filming is indeed taking place at Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 5th," said Matt Potts, founder, chief executive officer and brewmaster of Destihl.

Potts said the public event dubbed Why Be Normal? Learn to Brew: Beer 101 was organized by Tilley. It will include home-brewing demonstrations by Abnormal Brewers and professional brewing demonstrations at Destihl's brewhouse. There also will be tours of the brewhouse, 318 S. Towanda Ave., Normal.

Later that day, film crews will be at a public showing of Endicott's work. The multimedia exhibit is free and will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. at Medici Restaurant, 120 W. North St., Normal, according to Kasie Vesely, director of banquets and special events at Medici.

North said the contest and voting will begin on MySpace on July 27. Voting will close Sept. 13 and the winning town named on Sept. 14.

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What Normal people do

Brewing class

What: Why Be Normal? Learn to Brew: Beer 101; includes home-brewing and professional brewing demonstrations

When: noon to 5 p.m. July 5

Where: Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works, 318 S. Towanda Ave., Normal

Cost: Free

Photography exhibit

What: Photography and other media show by Amy Endicott

When: 5 to 8 p.m. July 5

Where: Medici Restaurant, 120 W. North St., Normal

Cost: Free