Avon: a comp to remember

Mother nature blessed the greater Indiana area with sunny skies and 70-degree weather to help Hoosiers get out of the slump that has been facing the area since the start of the new year. Carroll Show Choir students were not as fortunate as most were up as early as 3 am to arrive at school at 4:15 for their early morning competition. 

Senior Paul Keeley had an especially interesting competition after a run-in with the authorities while waiting for the school doors to be unlocked. 

“It just kinda shocked me,” Keeley said, “I was just really annoyed and tired.” 

But the fun didn’t just stop there for Keeley, “I left the auditorium with my friends, but hit a metal door pole on the way out” Keeley said, “It gave me a minor concussion, bruised finger, and busted forehead.”

Carroll Show Choirs also had an interesting day as they watched the judges work to split hairs on who would be making finals and who wouldn’t be making the cut. 

Carroll’s unisex group, Select Sound, presented their swashbuckling story of Dead Red and earned the third runner-up spot and a place in finals against big-name schools such as North Central, Castle, and Fishers high schools. 

“As directors, we are excited to see the growth in our students each week from show to show,” Show choir director Jill Jeran, “It has been great to be competing with groups that operate at a very high level.”

Minstrel on the other hand came up half a point short and was awarded the fourth runner-up spot after sharing their take on Noah and his ark. Even with the half of a point difference behind the Castle Knight Sensations, Jeran is happy about the achievements of the group so far. 

“The margins between groups are very small and we are proud of our students and the hard work they have done to be a part of the talented group of competitors.” Jeran said.

Some students, however, were lucky enough to break free of Avon high schools’ restrictive walls and found themselves face to face with a small playground and lots of pent-up energy. A small group of students worked on their team bonding skills and played schoolyard games like hide-and-seek and Marco polo to pass the time while waiting for the final results of the girl’s group. 

“It was so fun,” senior Vivian Diller said, “It was really a core memories moment.” 

Legendary chaperone coordinator, Amy Ferrell, also showed off her musical talent with her rendition of “Someone Like You” by Adele. 

“The weekend of Avon they needed a release,”Ferrell said, “So we danced and we sang, and we created that release to our own tune.” 

It was clear to see after her performance where her daughter Avery Ferrell got her musical talent after winning the first runner-up in the solo competition. 

“It was such an honor to get the first runner up competing against so many talented soloists,”Ferrell said, “The delivery of this song was really important to me and a memorable moment for my senior year.” 

After the finals were announced the choir headed to their hotel where sleep was scarce after being woken up by the blaring alarms from phones as a tornado warning was issued for the Noblesville area. 

“I was terrified because there were reports and alarms saying that there was a tornado warning,”Junior Kailey DeWald said, “So I stayed up for an hour waiting for the tornado and luckily it never came.”  

Others, however, got perfect sleep from the combined white noise the storm provided, and heavyset exhaustion from the competition. 

“I didn’t even know anything was happening,”Senior sleeper Tori Noble said, “I slept through the whole thing.”  

Despite the challenges faced from the Avon Vocal Invitational, the choirs are fired up and ready for their competition this weekend at the Shelbyville Singing Sensational where they are currently predicted to win grand champion according to Showchoir.com.