Students are trying to bring the choir class back using a petition after the class ended last year. Junior Frida Medina-Duran wrote the petition and is leading it. She first joined choir at the start of freshman year, which made her feel distraught when the class was canceled at the end of last school year.

“As somebody who’s been performing since I was little and as a musician, I felt so distraught finding out there wouldn’t be a choir anymore,” said Melina Duran.

Choir previously ended around the end of the 24-25 school year due to not enough students enrolling in it. “First term it was full but like second term we had like no members in choir,” said Melina-Duran.

Medina-Duran said that choir should be brought back  because of the benefits it brings students. “Not only because there was a good community, but because it’s also an amazing creative and artistic way of expression for many students and a good emotional outlet for them as well,” said Medina Duran.

When asked what plans she has for choir and what she wishes to achieve, Melina-Duran mentions wanting to work with the band and orchestra classes in the future.

“Possibly working with the band class or the orchestra class and like going to competitions and stuff like that, I feel like that would really make people want to join it,” said Melina-Duran.

 Junior Ruby Vang said that she was disappointed upon finding out last year that choir had come to an end, as she had been a part of it since her freshman year, but expressed gratitude for its possible return.

“I honestly feel very amazing, I was disappointed when I was told at the end of sophomore year that they took down choir and choir’s been a part of me since my freshman year and honestly that would just bring back a lot of memories,” said Vang.

Mark Swope, piano and previous choir teacher here at Stagg, expressed his support for the student petition to bring choir back, as he would be the one to lead it if it gets brought back.

“I think it’s good for students, I think singing is good for people in general, our community, it shows our spirit and our voices and allows students to perform and enjoy students so I’m absolutely in support of it,” said Swope.

However, assistant principal Daniel Vannest expressed his concern with how possible it would be to actually bring the choir back, citing its absence on the master schedule as the biggest concern. “Those classes are all there and students get to pick, and I don’t believe choir was on that list this year and we’re almost done with the master scheduling.”

“It could be possibly done next year, we have to look into that and research it but no guarantees,” said Vannest.

Medina-Duran is still seeking signatures. Interested students should go to R-22 to sign it. The goal is to get at least 100 signatures and she currently has 76 signatures. The petition closes on May 15th.