For the first time ever, Winsor Knolls Middle School now has a choral program. It is an after school extracurricular activity that students may choose to sign up for. They are always looking for new members to join. Currently, there are sixteen students enrolled in the choir. Their first rehearsal was on November 13, 2017. Students in 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade are encouraged to join.

On January 10^th WKMS Choir attended and performed in Urbana High School’s feeder concert at 7:30 PM. They are one of eight school choirs who participated. The other schools who participated were Urbana Concert and Chamber Ensemble, Urbana Elementary School Choir, Green Valley Elementary School Choir, Kemptown Elementary School Choir, Urbana Middle School Choir, and Centerville Elementary School Choir. This concert had free admission and each choir sang a collection of songs and a finale with all choirs who sang the same piece. WKMS also performed at the Linganore High School’s feeder concert which took place on January 18^th.

Jessica Gearhart is WKMS’s choral director. This year, there has been a major push from Frederick County Public School’s Visual and Performing Arts department to organize choirs for schools who do not have one already. The people behind this push are the VPA Curriculum Specialists, Susan Thomas who is the Elementary VPA and Randy Rumph who is the Secondary VPA.

As a music educator and vocal major, Gearhart fully supports their effort. She believes in the power of using music to express one’s self in order to promote self-respect and community.

Apart from WKMS choir, Gearhart also directs three other school choral programs. She directs the Liberty Elementary School Chorus, Twin Ridge Elementary School 4^th and 5^th grade chorus and TRES 2^nd and 3^rd grade chorus. Gearhart tries to inspire a passion and joy for singing that students can carry throughout their lives. She tries to make every student feel like they are an equal part of the team.

If WKMS students would like to join the program, they can visit their website; wkmschorus.weebly.com. Students may either print out a permission form to fill out and submit or they can fill out a google form, both of which can be found on WKMS Chorus website. Rehearsals are every Monday from 3:45 to 5:00 PM.