Three students from the Perquimans County High School Choral Music program recently took part in the North Carolina All-State Choral Festival, held at the Greensboro Coliseum and War Memorial Auditorium. They joined over 800 of the finest high school singers from across North Carolina for two days of intensive rehearsals and study in preparation for a concluding concert.

These students were divided into two mixed choruses and one women’s chorus which were directed by top university choral conductors.

Molly Newbern, a senior, and a member of the PCHS After-School Chorus, sang under the direction of Dr. Karen Kennedy, Director of Choral Studies at the University of Miami. Molly is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Newbern.

Tiffany Hall, a junior, sang in the women’s chorus under the baton of Dr. Janet Galvan, Professor of Music at Ithaca College. Tiffany is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T.J. Hall and Ms. Fawn Workman.

Alexandra Fox, a junior, sang under the direction of Paul Oakley, Director of Choral and Sacred Music at Kentucky Wesleyan College. Allie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Randy Langley.

Spelling Bee builds 
vocabulary, relationships

In a diverse group — great grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters — of more than 300 people, 35 second-graders participated in the 1st Annual Spelling Bee sponsored by the Perquimans County Schools Foundation.

Individual winners included Asyiah Tann, Tanner Thach, Lindsey Ferguson and Jesi Nixon.

According to Brenda Lassiter, secretary for the foundation, the students have been working for several weeks to qualify for 
the event.

“It was an opportunity for students to work independently at home to prepare for the competition,” Lassiter said. “Thirty-five qualified to participate in the public competition event.”