Singing the Love

Chamber Choir Spreads the Valentines Day Cheer

Karlee Clark, Staff Writer

February 26, 2024

The annual Valentine’s Day singing gram fundraiser for the Greater Latrobe choir was a great success.

Every year, students participate by purchasing five dollar singing grams from the choir. These grams allow them to send a surprise serenade to someone special within the school.

Choir students volunteered their time to sing these grams throughout the school day, spreading love and cheer with each melody they delivered.

Even though the choir students were not required to sing all day or at all, 20 students committed to spreading Valentine’s Day cheer to the student body all day.

The 20 students who put in the time and effort to learn and perfect the music for this singing fundraiser were all students from the Chamber Choir audition ensemble. Because of their high talent, these students were able to perform songs with complex four-part harmonies and difficult rhythms. The complexities of the music often resulted in students singing notes and rhythms different from those of their neighbors.

Besides singing, the talented musicians also learned simple choreography such as coordinated steps, snaps, drawing shapes in the air, and jazz hands.

The organized procedure that the singers followed was a simple but well-thought-out system established by senior Sarah Hoffman, president of the choir. Before entering a classroom, Hoffman would quietly announce to the group what song they were singing. Then, she would play a prerecorded audio of the starting pitches the choir would need to sing. After that, she would lead the group into the classroom and cue them to start singing.

In previous years, with the purchase of a singing gram, the recipient was guaranteed to receive a rose. However, this year, the choir handed out Serris chocolate bars instead. Shae Wiley, the PR co-captain of the choir and a sophomore, was in charge of distributing each student’s chocolate bar and Valentine’s Day card.

To enhance the experience of receiving a singing gram, the chamber choir singers were asked to dress in festive colors and accessories, adding a flair of color and theme to their performance.

About the Contributor

Karlee Clark, Staff Writer

Driven by a passion for leadership and learning, Karlee Clark, a junior at Greater Latrobe, is a returning member of The High Post staff. She originally joined to explore her love of writing and is continuing to dive into her passion for sports photography and to help guide new members. Karlee’s interests include archery, which she's enjoyed for over six years, reading, writing, journaling, singing, and playing the flute and guitar among a handful of other instruments. She’s actively involved in the chamber choir, wind ensemble, pep band, and drama club, where she participates in the spring musicals. This year, she takes on the role of choir secretary. Karlee also plays as a defensive specialist for the Girls Varsity Volleyball team, where she values the teamwork and inside jokes and memories shared with the team. She is also a committed manager and statistician to the boys volleyball team dedicating an unimaginable number of hours analyzing stats and doing anything to help out at practices. Leadership is a central part of Karlee’s life. She’s a member of the Lighthouse Leadership team and has been a student council representative since elementary school, currently serving as secretary having just stepped down from student store manager. Her love of learning extends to the forensics team, where she’s competed in persuasive essay and impromptu speaking, qualifying for the state competition in both her freshman and sophomore years. Beyond school, Karlee is committed to volunteering, always eager to make a difference in her neighborhood.