Grant supports Byron High School theater, choir

SUBMITTED PHOTO Tempo
From left – Amy Harn, choir director, Connor Harn choir winner, Warner Hinrichs theater winner, and Jen Wygant, theater director.

The Byron High School Theater and Choir department have been given a generous donation of $3,000 from the Megan Clift Memorial Fund established at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois. The donation in honor of Megan, from the Clift family, has been used to support many activities and events that the groups participate in. Here are several ways the donation has been used this last school year:
Scholarships have been granted to students who have been selected to be a member of the Honors Performance Series National Honor Choir in New York City and London. The students audition for the Performance Series and, if they are selected, they will participate in an honor choir with students from the United States and International schools. Their final performance is in Carnegie Hall or London Concert Hall. There were two middle school students that received these scholarships this year, Emmalyn Rehberg and Mia Vongsiri.
Travel scholarships have also been granted to middle school students who attended the middle school choir’s tour to St. Louis this past May. On this choir tour the students were able to visit Grant’s Farm, St. Louis Zoo, City Museum, and Science Center. They also worked with a college professor and held a performance at the Veteran’s hospital on Jefferson Barracks. Travel scholarships were also granted to theater students who participated in the theater’s trip to New York City. While in New York, theater students attend musicals, take in a stage combat workshop, tour Manhattan, visit 9/11, and also go into the Empire State Building.
Members of Byron’s Chamber Choir participated in a choir festival at Millikin University. The fees for this event were also paid from the choir’s portion of the donation. The students worked with Millikin’s directors, Guy Forbes and Brad Holmes, learning several concert pieces in a large group setting. This two-day event was loved by all who attended.
Money donated to the theater troupe is also used to help students attend the State Theater convention. Students take in workshops on various details of acting and they also get to watch other high school present their musical.
Each year the Shining Star Award is presented to the outstanding theater and choir students, typically from the senior class. This year the theater award was given to Warner Hinrichs and the choir award was given to Connor Harn. The success of the Shining Star donations and other donations from “Friends of Megan” help to continue the assistance that is given to the Byron Choirs and its membership. The choir and theater students are very appreciative of the support from the Megan Clift Memorial Fund established at the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and the friendship of Ed and Beth Clift.