High School Chorus Travels

By: Suzanne J

            Every 4 years, the Valley High School chorus goes on a trip out of state. With magazine and butter braid sales as fundraisers, the students earned enough money for the opportunity to set out for Washington DC this year.

Monday, Mar. 15, the 92 students and 14 chaperones will start their journey. They will get to experience Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Mar. 16, before heading to Washington DC.

On Wednesday, Mar. 17, all of the students and chaperones will visit Mount Vernon, home of George Washington; the United States Capitol Building; the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; Library of Congress; Supreme Court Building; Embassy Row; FDR Memorial; Lincoln Memorial; Jefferson Memorial; and U.S. Corps Memorial.

On Thursday, Mar. 18, everyone will visit the National Cathedral and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, have a choral clinic at the University of Maryland, and finish off the night with a dinner at Toby’s Dinner Theater in Baltimore, with the performance of Oliver.

On Friday, Mar. 19, they will arrive at Arlington National Cemetery to see the Kennedy Gravesites, Challenger Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Four selected students from the chorus will participate in a Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Later that day, everyone will get to visit his or her choice of Smithsonian Museums, then head to dinner at Uno Chicago Grill. After dinner, it is a 20 hour bus trip back home, arriving late Saturday afternoon.

            Students need to participate in chorus for four years in order to participate in the trip, and what better way to celebrate involvement in a lifelong learning activity like this.