Certain classes, clubs and other programs get the opportunity to travel in order to build skills related to their specific study. The White Station High School Choir recently had the opportunity to travel to Orlando, Florida and visit Walt Disney World in order to participate in a workshop and develop their singing skills.
The choir left in the early morning on Feb. 16 and returned around 3 a.m. Feb. 21. Students spent three days at Disney World and had the opportunity to visit three parks: Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom.
“[We were] at the park[s] Saturday, Sunday [and] Monday,” Ben Isham (10) said. “We rode rides and ate … lunch and dinner [in Disney World].”
On Sunday, Feb. 18, the choir visited Disney Imagination Campus and participated in a workshop. Choir students sang two songs from “Beauty and the Beast” and learned how professional singing in a recording studio works.
“We had a professional [singer] come and teach us a version of music from ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” Kaitlyn Cooper (11) said. “A lot of it was sight reading for all the parts and … we had two hours to put together two songs and then they put our voices to a film. It was a really cool experience … being put in the position that a professional [singer] is put in and it was a lot of fun.”
Students had a myriad of reasons for wanting to visit Disney World. While many were visiting for the first time, others were compelled to visit again after previously having enjoyed the parks. Though the workshop was the purpose of the choir’s visit, students also enjoyed exploring the various stores and rides Disney World has to offer.
“I went [to Disney World] in middle school and I had a lot of fun, so I wanted to do it again,” Cooper said. “[My favorite part was] probably getting to ride the rides that we didn’t get to last time; running around the parks, not knowing where you’re going with all your friends is a lot of fun. [My favorite ride was] probably the Rise of [the] Resistance.”
Though students enjoyed the trip, it wasn’t perfect. Students’ visits to Hollywood Studios and Epcot featured intermittent rain, forcing students to carry umbrellas or wear ponchos. While returning to Memphis, their bus suffered from issues, delaying the students’ return home.
“[My least favorite part of the trip was] the rain and on the Tuesday ride [back to Memphis] … the bus broke down,” Isham said.
Overall, students enjoyed visiting Disney World and learning from professional singers in the workshop.
“[Traveling to and from Orlando] was an experience,” Cooper said. “We had a lot of bus issues, but it was a lot of fun getting to ride there and back with all my friends.”
