At the end of each meal, announcements are made and the schedule reviewed. On Friday night, we noted that the next day would be our last full day together – a stunned silence fell on the room. How could it be Saturday already?
The day is filled with contrasts: two rehearsals in school and one at the church; individual vocal lessons continue as we pack our bags; skits for the closing banquet tonight receive fine tuning; girls dash through the halls with rain driving our final House Games indoors, a game of Capture the Flag covers several floors of the Choir School. Heidi’s picnic lunch tastes delicious wherever we are!
Yesterday and today, three girls have thanked adults for helping them through home-sickness; they are so glad that they persevered. In coming years, they will know even more the long-term benefits of meeting a challenge – one they didn’t think they could do. This course was founded and continues to give young women a similar opportunity that young boys have in the Choir School. They are girls who are intelligent, talented, secure, and ready to accept the responsibility of a course such as this. They find that they can solve problems with each other; ask caring adults to help with their needs; and learn about living and working with other people. They learn to see these challenges and responsibilities through the eyes of their peers. As the girls have prepared music for the glory of God, sung in this beautiful space which has such an historic association with excellence in liturgical music, they have accomplished much more which will stay with them through their lives.
The staff gathered last night and we spoke of each girl – her gifts and the ways in which she has found, used and shared them this week. We are very thankful to the families who have allowed them to be with us this week; we woke each day mindful of the trust placed in us. To the Choir Directors who prepared them, know how much we appreciate your efforts. Next year, we will gather again on Saturday, July 25, 2009, and we hope you will be with us.
- Ruth Cobb, Course Director
I cannot believe that it is already Friday. The week seemed like it was going by very slow, but now it feels like it has gone by really fast. We have done so much though. Yesterday we had our second evensong. It felt like it went very smoothly, compared to Tuesday. We were all used to what was supposed to happen, so it went very well. The singing was also great! I really liked the music that we sang. On Wednesday we went to see Mary Poppins. It was very exciting. The sets were amazing. I think the best scene was when they were dancing on the rooftops. Also it was pretty awesome when Mary Poppins flew into the audience. We have been playing a lot of ultimate frisbee. In the morning on Thursday, we all went to the park to play two big games of ultimate frisbee. They were wicked fun! Unfortunately though, my team lost. But it was close. This morning we went to the top of the rock. I got some pretty nifty pictures! We all wore our matching St. Thomas t-shirts. It was very touristy. The view was amazing. After that we split up into groups so we could do a little shopping. You can't come to NYC without going shopping! We went to some street venders, and lots of us bought sweet aviator sunglasses. We have been walking around the city so much that I'm really getting used to it. I don't want to go home! I love the city! We have been working intensely on our skits. I play the macho guy, and I have two absolutely, amazing lines. Unfortunately I don't get to dance much, but I do join in with the singing. We picked two songs from Mamma Mia. Now all we have is the Sunday service.- Esther
This morning we were able to wake up late (7:30) for breakfast. We walked down to Rockefeller Center in the middle of the city. We passed Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art on the Way. On the way back, we split up into groups—window shopping on Fifth Avenue, shopping along Rockefeller Center, or shopping at vendors along the street. Kelsey, Anna, Esther, and 19 other girls went vendor shopping, and stopped at 6 or 7 vendors on our way back to the choir school. For lunch, since it’s Ms. Sullivan’s un-birthday, Heidi made tiramisu. Joyous, as always.
- Lindsey
It is hard to believe that this week has gone by so fast but we went on another outing on Friday. We went to the “top of the rock” or in other words we went to the top of Rockefeller Center. It was amazing. From the top of the building you can see for a really good distance. Today we found the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the George Washington Bridge. We needed binoculars to actually see those places, but it was really great to find some of our nation’s landmarks. While at the top of the rock we took a picture and sang “Lift thine eyes”.
- Susy
This morning we went to “Top of the Rock” at Rockefeller Center. The views were absolutely amazing. If you looked closely, you could even see the Statue of Liberty, and if you looked through the money-operated telescopes, you could see the flag on Ellis Island waving in the brisk morning breeze. We had the perfect view of the Empire state building and could even see the blinking red light on it through the telescopes. We took a big group picture and then spontaneously began to sing “Lift Thine Eyes”, one of our songs from the Tuesday service. People started to watch and one woman even asked if we came there every day! Before we left we all went into the gift shops, where I spent 57 dollars in souvenirs for my family. Then we split up to go different routes back to the school. I went with the group that explored the plaza, where we met up with Ms. Rhodes and then headed home.
- Lindsey
Last night sang another Evensong, which was pretty awesome too! Now we’ve just got to practice for Sunday, our last service. I’m excited for that! I was really happy to have my water bottle, thanks mom, by the way! When we returned we had some great games in the gym and went to a meditation session, which was also pretty awesome. Then we had a late-night snack of caramel popcorn and cookies, and went to bed. This morning we went to Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, and that was amazing! I took about three hundred pictures of everything, and we had a group picture at the very top, while singing Lift Thine Eyes, and a lot of people stopped to listen. That was pretty cool! On our way back to the choir school we went shopping at street vendors, but they didn’t have any of the things I wanted, since we only went to two different ones so that we could be back at the choir school on time. A bunch of people bought sunglasses, but I wanted the aviators with very colorful rims and colored bars on them (some people got them on the way to Mary Poppins, but I didn’t see any), and there wasn’t any at the ones we went to.
- Emma
So far this week has been very enjoyable. I have been able to learn a lot of new things and meet a lot of new friends. Along with being in the chorus I have been able to experience many things in the City of New York. Some of these things include sightseeing in the Top of the Rock in Rockefeller Center, shopping on the streets at the vendors, and seeing the Broadway show Mary Poppins. The Top of the Rock was unbelievable and I was so surprised at the remarkable view. I am thankful that I was able to have that experience. Also walking around the city and visiting the street vendors was fun and I was able to make a real bargain with the vendor and I felt like a true New Yorker haggling to get what I wanted. I purchased a pair of bright purple Ray Bans and brown aviator sunglasses. One of my favorite things this week was clearly the Broadway show. Mary Poppins was an amazing musical. The music was remarkable, but the set was indescribable. I was not expecting everything to be so good, but the show was so much more then I expected. The services that we have been singing have been really fun and rewarding. Evensong has many songs and we sing it in the evening. It is a very good way to pray and help people become closer to god. I am excited to learn the music for Sunday’s service and perform that too.
- Hope
Today we went to the Top of the Rock. There are three different observation levels. The view is different from each one. There are so many people there with cameras finding the perfect shot of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and attempting to zoom in far enough to see the Statue of Liberty. It is so pretty there and the fantastic views are breath taking. From the highest level you can see all of Central park. I knew it was big, but no that big. You can see everyone walking along the streets and how many taxi cabs there really are. On the highest level we took a group picture and we all started to sing Lift Thine Eyes and it sounded really good. I think it is nice when people ask “Can you take our picture with the Empire State Building in the background.” Most of then are tourist how ask but it is nice knowing that people enjoy the beauty of the city. I had been to the Top of the Rock before but it is always nice to go with friends rather then our family, it is a whole different experience. After that we went all the way down we split up into groups on where we wanted to go shopping. Some people went to the street vendors. 5th Avenue, or go to Rockefeller Centre. I chose to go to 5th Ave. there were only six of us and we went into Anthropology and got a snack (Starbucks Coffee). When we had realized we were out of time we headed back to the school. When we go here we got to have a snack then our classes. Once they were over all of us had lunch some personal time then rehearsal.
- Amanda S.
Once we got on top of the Rock, we were able to climb stairs to two more floors. The view was literally breathtaking (especially because the air was a bit thinner). I could see what seemed like all of Manhattan, and parts of Brooklyn, and Staten Island. I saw the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building (I got those two confused at first), and I could see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Central Park looked huge! I can’t imagine how big it is, but when you are on top of the rock, it is a bit easier to see.
There was a nice breeze since we were so high up, and all of the little people on the sidewalks below looked like people from the game of Life. Being the nice girl choristers that we are, we gathered up for a group picture, and sang “Lift Thine Eyes” for the tourists.
Afterwards, we walked home and bought various sunglasses, sodas, or bags from street vendors, and got home in time for a skit practice and lunch. What a fun day!
- Kaethe
Today is Friday and we went to the top of Rock it was so COOL! It had revolving doors (I love revolving doors) they had Crystal that were growing. In the elevator there was this presentation and the lights in the elevator went off and you could see the tip of the building. We were going so fast that it felt like we were going to crash. At the top you could see everything; you could see New York and New Jersey. I definitely can't wait to go there again.
- Krystal
The city of New York is as beautiful as it gets, from the bottom, that is. When you look from the top of the rock it is a whole new world. You can almost look down at things. Okay, and the elevator ride was pretty cool to! We went up to the 62nd floor and looked out upon the beauty of NYC. We could actually almost see the Statue of liberty and it seemed as if I could pick up the empire state building with my pinkie finger. It was and amazing experience that I will never forget.
~Gabby
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