Chalk it up to the power of music.
This year’s cool activity at Shawnee High School has athletes and thespians rubbing shoulders with cheerleaders and student council members — all for the love of a song.
The SHS Select Choir has experienced its most diverse year yet, and its most award-winning. More boys have joined the traditionally female group, and students from all walks of extracurricular life have participated, making choir hip again. And the biggest-ever number of students earned high honors at the District Solo and Ensemble Contest.
The students, about 36 in all, performed their spring concert Monday, one of the last times they’ll sing together this school year.
“The variety of kids has been one of the most fun things this year,” said Sharon Reese, teacher and choir director. “I enjoy working with kids who are in other activities. I encourage that. It’s neat to see the acceptance of such a varied group of kids. They appreciate each other.”
In addition to the spring concert, the Select Choir performs a Christmas show and sings the national anthem (both individually and as a group) at football, basketball and wrestling competitions. Reese said it’s been rewarding to see her young singers develop the confidence to perform in front of crowds.
“Some of the coolest moments I’ve had in my teaching career is seeing the quietest kids volunteer to sing the national anthem in front of no telling how many people. And it’s one of the hardest songs to sing,” Reese said. “They get self-confidence from singing. To share something so personal as your voice ... there’s hardly anything more personal. It can really break them out of their shells.”
Being in choir also helps the students learn teamwork, time management and self-discipline, Reese said. Practicing individual parts of a song requires hard work, but the payoff is seeing the students realize the beauty of harmony, she said.
Reese said some students will pursue music in college, but most won’t. But her goal is more simple: to instill a love of singing in the students, whether it’s in the shower or a community choir.
“I’m not trying to be a machine to create musical teachers. I just want them to have fun and enjoy singing,” she said. “They can sing going down the street or in their church or community choir. They can use it as that creative release, and use it for fun.”
This year’s choir members have proved that singing is nothing if not fun. Junior Brett Davis, who is perhaps better known as a quarterback for the Shawnee Wolves football team, is in his first year as a bass-singing choir member. Brett said he already played the piano, drums and guitar; this year, it was time to add singing.
“It’s been fun and rewarding,” he said. “It’s completely different from being on the football team. I love football to death, and I also love music. It’s good to do both.”
Rachel Smart, a junior, also is in her first year in choir. She said singing is a way of expressing who she is, and the diversity of the group means that’s true for others.
“It’s really cool to see people come together to share a common interest in singing,” she said. “It unifies people.”
Senior Darius Oden is saying goodbye to the choir after four years in the group. A few years, he’s been the only male in the group, he said. This year, the guy voices are stronger. Darius plans to make music his career. In college, he will major in vocal performance.
“Singing is what I do,” he said. “It’s what people know me for. We’re glad to have had Mrs. Reese. She doesn’t demand anything but the best out of you.”
