By KRISTEN HILL, Contributor

The Vandegrift choir program is wrapping up this spring with University Interscholastic League accolades, a trip to the capitol and its annual Spring Show, which is next week.

The Chamber and Chorale Women choirs enjoyed great success at the recent UIL contest. Both choirs earned a Sweepstakes trophy meaning that all six judges in concert and sight reading gave superior ratings.

This makes VHS choir’s 5th consecutive year to have all choirs competing at UIL to receive sweepstakes awards for a total of 15 out of 15 Sweepstakes. VHS is the only choir program in the region of roughly 30 high schools to claim this honor.

Unique to this year was when student Jessica Pronga conducted Chorale Women on their final piece at UIL, “The Parting Glass”. This is rare and it speaks to the talent, dedication and leadership of the students in the VHS choir program.

Also in April, A Cappella and Concert Women choirs visited the Texas State Capitol to sing in the rotunda. The students were honored to perform there.  

Coming up, the Viper choir’s annual Spring Show is May 19 & 20 at the VHS PAC at 7 p.m. both nights. This year’s theme is “Emotions” and will feature all choirs, soloists and ensembles, with creative theatrical elements, dance and costuming. Student leadership has worked hard to plan the theme for this year’s show and it should be the best yet. Tickets are $5 and there will be a silent auction to benefit the choir booster club.

Next year, the choir program will travel to Honolulu for the spring trip, scheduled for Mar. 9-14, 2017. Vandegrift dance, band and choir departments will be performing together in a special tribute to America at the Pearl Harbor Memorial. This is a wonderful opportunity, given the military background that Vandegrift was founded upon.