EHS songbirds serenade nation’s capitol for Memorial Day
Published 4:57 pm Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Photo Courtesy of Amy Moore EHS singers poses during their trip to the nation's capitol.
Photo Courtesy of Amy Moore Elizabethton students had the opportunity to participate in the Memorial Day parade held in Washington, D.C.
Photo Courtesy of Rhonda Weddle Elizabethton High School students and choral director Deborah Gouge pose in front of the Washington Monument.
Photo Courtesy of Amy Moore A handful of students pose with a wreath in front of a Tennessee monument.
Photo Courtesy of Amy Moore A pair of men's ensemble students carry a wreath to be placed at a monument to remember veterans for Memorial Day.
Photo Courtesy of Rhonda Weddle The Elizabethton High School men's and women's ensemble had the opportunity to perform in Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center as part of the 2018 Memorial Day Choral Festival.
Making memories and setting a trend just comes natural for students at Elizabethton High School.
The men’s and women’s advanced ensemble teams, led by EHS Choir Director Deborah Gouge, recently made school history over the weekend by being the only high school in the country to be selected to perform in the 2018 National Memorial Day Choral Festival held in Washington, D.C. — a multi-day affair that saw thousands descend upon the capitol to remember those that sacrificed their lives for the safety of the country.
Over the course of the festival, students were able to perform inside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and a parade through Washington, D.C., to showcase their talents and give back to the nation’s veteran population.
The festival, which was created in 2018, was presented by Music Celebrations International, the American Veterans Center and the United States Air Force.
Gouge recently told the Elizabethton Star prior to the trip that students were excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and that she thanked the community for their support of the students’ goals and aspirations.
Throughout the weekend event, which concluded during Monday’s Memorial Day festivities, parents and students took to social media to present photos from the memorable experience. Along with photos, various videos have also been circulating of the students’ time in Washington, D.C.
But the event didn’t come without support from the community. Leading up to the event, students were hard at work performing various concerts throughout the state, even taking time to perform in Dollywood, as a way to generate funds for the adventure.
While receiving support from the general public, Elizabethton City Schools administration and the Elizabethton City Council also went out of their way to help make the trip a reality for the students and families.
Council made a monetary donation to the trip during their April meeting while ECS administration helped put the necessary pieces in place to make the event a reality.
Included is photos provided to the Elizabethton Star from those in attendance that documented the students’ time in Washington, D.C., for the Memorial Day weekend. To view more instances from the event, be sure to visit Elizabethton City Schools website or other social media platforms.
Visit memorialdaychoralfestival.org to learn more about the annual event. Items from the 2018 festival are expected to be placed on the website in the coming days.
