(Feature) Choirs earn awards, learn culture of Hawaii: Director calls trip a 'Once in a lifetime experience'

Thu, 21 Apr 2005 18:36:00 GMT

By Marie Colby

LHS CHOIR MEMBERS IN HAWAII. Students from the LHS Plainsmen Singers, Concert Choir and Girls' Select pose for a photo following their performance on the USS Missouri. (Photo courtesy of choir parent Bruce Adams /cutline by Lisa Henderson)

(Editor’s Note: LHS Girls’ Select choir member and journalism student Marie Colby submitted the following story upon her return from the choirs’ trip to Hawaii April 6-13) Cheers continued to rise from the choirs as each award was announced. Selected LHS seniors and choir director Sandy Steele went up on the stage repeatedly to receive trophies while choir members stood and clapped. This was the scene at the awards ceremony at the Honolulu Heritage Festival on April 8, the second day of the long-awaited choir trip to Hawaii. Collectively, we brought home nine awards. First place trophies were earned in Concert Choir, Women’s Choir and Men’s Choir. The Plainsmen Singers also eared the Sweepstakes Award—the highest points for all bands, choirs and orchestras—and the Outstanding Choral Award. Also at the festival the LHS choirs received the Adjudicator’s Award. This award goes to the school with three or more groups with gold rating. In fact, we won so many trophies they had to be taken to Mail Boxes Etc. to be shipped home. Following the festival, we spent one day at Pearl Harbor where we visited the Arizona Memorial. We then went over to the USS Missouri where we had the honor of performing a patriotic show (see photos above and in "Photo Gallery"). In an email back to Laramie Mrs. Steele wrote that the performance on the USS Missouri was “a little interesting…not our performance, just the location, and the audience (talking and walking around) and the wind (lots of noise through the mics).” She added despite all this, “the kids were troopers and did a great job.” In addition to these performances, we spent several days in Hawaii learning about these islands in the Pacific. We went to the Polynesian Culture Center where we had the opportunity to go from “village” to “village” to get a taste of the history and cultures of the various Polynesian Islands. Another evening was spent at the Paradise Cove Luau, where we experienced the ceremonies of the traditional luau, ate Hawaiian food, and made native leis and headbands. We also watched a traditional island show and learned to hula dance. One morning we went snorkeling at Hunauma Bay, a protected coral reef with native marine life. The remainder of the day we wandered through the tangle of shops and stands at the International Marketplace. In all, the entire trip was a wonderful experience for the students, teachers and chaperones. Performing at the Festival and on the USS Missouri, learning about the history and culture of the Polynesian Islands and Hawaii, and traveling with friends made it a memorable trip. Upon their return, Steele called the opportunity “a once in a lifetime experience” for most of her students.

CyberPlainsman

(Feature) Choirs earn awards, learn culture of Hawaii: Director calls trip a 'Once in a lifetime experience'