Marion High School Choir Director Lisa Adams grew up with a passion for choir and vocal teaching, being a part of school band and church choir during her upbringing before going to college and studying vocal performance. The last two years of her 39-year career have been dedicated to the Marion School District’s choir programs.
“We can program a computer to laugh, we can program it to cry, but you can’t program it to feel those emotions,” said Adams. “The arts are what make us human, in my opinion. Whether it is a visual art piece, a dramatic piece, or music, there is nothing quite like the arts. It is a timeless skill that you can enjoy your entire life between viewing and performing.”
At the start of the 2022 school year, Adams was inspired to form something new at Marion High School as an after-school program -- a show choir. Meeting every Tuesday after school, the “Red, White, and Blues Choir” provides a flexible experience for students that may not have the availability to take choir in their schedules. In addition to singing, this choral experience incorporates dancing as well.
“We have about 16-22 students who have been consistently involved. A lot of them not in my regular choir classes,” said Adams. “It’s a new form of expression and community for these students. Not everyone wants to stand on the risers and sing something from the 16th or 17th centuries. We want to make it fun and contemporary for these students.”
Coming back from lockdowns and the Covid-19 guidelines following, Adams is hoping to rebuild the choir community that had been fractured by physical and metaphorical divisions. Having described her choirs as a community, the importance of camaraderie and support amongst students is a primary goal of the Red, White, and Blues Choir.
“We have overcome a lot as a group, and we are growing as a community. Now, we are on the road to building and maintaining hope,” said Adams.
While still in the fundamental stages, the choir is preparing for the Marion School District Christmas program. On December 13, the Red, White, and Blues Choir will be donning Christmas sweaters for the seasonal jingles and jams.
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district committed to helping every student find their unique path to success in school and in life. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.