The Redhound Way: When Students Take Ownership

When a group of Corbin High School choir students expressed interest in auditioning for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Honor Choir, they knew the audition would require preparation beyond their regular classwork.

Their choir director, however, was honest with them. With a full schedule of performances, events, and other auditions already on the calendar, there simply wasn’t enough time to teach the audition repertoire and provide individual audition preparation during class.

The students could have decided the opportunity wasn’t possible.

Instead, they decided to do the work themselves.

Nearly 20 students asked to be registered for the audition and committed to learning the music and preparing on their own time. They took ownership of their preparation, motivated by a desire to grow as musicians and challenge themselves.

And something even more exciting began to happen.

The audition became more than an individual goal. It brought the students together.

Recently, while their teacher was recording freshman All-State Choir auditions, the students used their class time to work on their ACDA audition music. When the teacher finished, he found students gathered in groups—singing together, teaching one another choreography, listening to each other, and offering feedback.

They weren’t waiting for someone else to tell them what to do. They were collaborating, creating, and pushing one another to improve.

The results of the ACDA auditions won’t be known until November, but in many ways, the students have already gained something valuable. An audition that began as an individual opportunity has strengthened the entire choir program, giving students a shared goal and a renewed sense of unity.

This is The Redhound Way in action: doing the work, creating together, and helping one another become better.

The Redhound Way is alive and thriving in the CHS Choir program!