It was 34 degrees outside, but the Durant High School choir put on the layers and warmed up their vocal cords March 7 to sing at the World War II Memorial, in Washington, D.C. While other high school students were enjoying their spring break at the sunny beach, the 39 choral students from Durant were performing and sightseeing in the nation’s capital.
The group was part of a special choir organized by choir teacher Susan Durham. When she taught at other schools, Durham had taken students on trips to Europe. But, this was the first time she took Durant students out of state.
“It was a lot of fun,” Durham said. “Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun.”
In addition to the World War II Memorial, the students also performed at the amphitheater at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Two seniors, Kelsey Morton and Jacqueline Valdes, were able to accompany guards to place a wreath with the school’s name on the monument.
“People there were so appreciative,” Durham said. “It was a fantastic experience. It was touching.”
The choir also performed at the Lincoln Memorial and for veterans and family members at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The students sang everything from pop hits, such as “Fireflies” by Owl City, to more traditional ballads.
“My favorite song was ‘God Bless America,’” student Justine Reeves said. “It sounded really cool with all our voices, and it brought everyone together.”
Between concerts, the students got to see many of the sights and sounds of the city. They visited The Smithsonian, dozens of memorials and delicious restaurants. Reeves’ favorite stop was the International Spy Museum, where the students got to solve their own mystery in an interactive experience.
“It was very interesting to go around the nation’s capital and being able to combine arts with the history of the capital,” Reeves said. “It was a cool experience. I’ll get to tell my kids about it someday.”
Durham booked the trip with Traventours Group Tours. It cost about $1,000 a student to take the trip, which included the flight. Some students, including Reeves, had never been on a plane.
Durham hosted fundraisers throughout the year to make sure every student who wanted to go would be covered. She sold T-shirts, Yankee Candle Company products, held auctions at the holiday concert and had the help of a booster organization.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.