Hittin’ the high (and low) notes

The Odessa High and Permian choirs plan a little pleasure this week after handling business at University Interscholastic League competitions in Andrews last week.

Sixty-two OHS choir students will travel by charter bus to Austin and San Antonio for four days starting Friday. Their Austin visit includes a trip to the state Capitol and a bus tour of the city, OHS choir director Shari Riley said.

Riley said students plan to also visit San Marcos to shop and eat at the Tanger Factory Outlet Center before arriving in San Antonio to perform at Capitol Fest's Music in the Parks festival.

Students plan to visit the Alamo, the River Walk, the San Antonio Symphony, play at Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park and eat at the Tower of the Americas revolving restaurant.

"I wanted to do something that they haven't done," Riley said.

Riley said the trip costs about $40,000 and many of the students paid their way through selling poinsettias and tickets for a truck drawing earlier in the year.

The monies don't just go toward the trip, she said, but to the Odessa High Choir Booster Club to buy supplies for students like folders and equipment.

At Permian, about 140 students plan to travel by charter bus to Colorado Springs, Colo., where they'll perform at the Heritage Festival featuring many choirs from across the country and mostly the Midwest, Permian choir director Shawn Bell said.

Permian's five-day trip, which costs about $450 per person, starts Thursday and will provide some time for students to visit local attractions in Colorado Springs like the U.S. Air Force Academy and Manitou Cliff Dwellings, he said.

At the festival, choir students will be able to hear students from across the country and be judged by college choir directors, Bell said.

OHS senior Amy Thrasher and OHS junior Greg Weaver said they're looking forward to listening to the various choirs at the festival in San Antonio.

"By watching what they do, it kind of helps us learn more," Weaver, 16, said.

Permian junior Jordan Bice, an all-state student for two consecutive years, said the Colorado trip will be her first time performing at a festival with her high school choir, but it should prove to be less stressful than UIL.

"I think the competition is going to be that much greater, and I think that if we buckle down we can really do good," the 17-year-old said.

She said students sold fertilizer, drawing tickets or catalogue items through fund-raisers throughout the year and that some students paid out of pocket to fund their portions of the trip.

Permian senior Jason Jones said the festivals are always lower-scale competitions where contestants enjoy themselves.

"I like to get away from home just to have a good time," said Jones, who serves as Permian top choir president.

Thrasher, 18, said festivals seem to give students a release at the end of the school year.

"It feels good to know we accomplished what we did throughout the year," Thrasher said.