On Saturday, Sept. 13, the State High choir started the school year on a high note with the annual Choir Kickoff from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Circleville Park. Members of all choir ensembles at State High gathered to socialize, meet new choir members, play games together and enjoy good food. 

The tradition was brought to State High by choir director Eric Clayton when he began teaching in the State College Area School District.

“It’s something I actually started in Central Dauphin when I worked there, so like 2012. Maybe more like 2014,” Clayton said. He did the Choir Kickoff when he came to State College in 2015 and has continued to do it since, making this year its 10th anniversary. 

The planning and organization for the event was done entirely by elected student officers. Student officers are elected by Clayton and the previous president and vice president.

Senior and choir president Abby Vance said, “So every Friday [the choir officers and I] basically…ever since the beginning of the school year we talked about…planning where it’s gonna be, and reserving that spot, and making sure we had a Sign Up Genius out for everybody to sign up for food as well as costume materials.”

The kickoff was planned to be an opportunity for choir members to connect and build community within the choir, and it began with the choir officers introducing themselves to the crowd.

“I really just hope to get to know more faces, and because all of our schedules are super busy, and not all choirs get to meet up at once during the school year except for community building events like this, so I hope we get to know more faces and names and that people are able to get closer as a choir altogether,” Vance said.

After the introductions, choir members were split into groups to participate in a variety of games.

“So traditionally the idea has been to have an icebreaker and an opportunity for the students from all the different choirs to get to know each other a little bit and interact. So we have different icebreaker games like the Human Knot, and we do these relay races,” Clayton said. 

The human knot is a team-building activity where group members stand in a circle and grasp hands with two different people across from them. Then, group members twist, turn, and shift to untangle the “human knot” into a straight line while never releasing hands. 

The relay race is another favorite activity of many.

“You spin around a bat and you have teams of five. The first person spins around the bat, goes forward, grabs a piece of clothing, and then runs back and has to give it to the next person in line, and they spin around and it keeps going,” Vance said.

Because spinning around the bat makes people dizzy, some run crooked and almost fall over as they run back and forth, trying to put on and take off the costume pieces as quickly as possible.

Clayton said, “I find that hilarious…yeah, That is one of my favorite things to watch.”

Another Choir Kickoff tradition is the water balloon fight. 

“We do a water balloon fight, which actually just turns into me running away and everybody’s pelting me with water balloons, which is kind of funny,” Clayton said.

Finally, the game “Capture the Robe” is played, where it is like Capture the Flag, except instead of a flag, a Master Singers’ robe is used. Master Singers is an advanced choir ensemble that wears long gray and red robes for concerts, and one of those robes is used in this game. To win, one must put on the robe and run back to their side. 

“[I feel like it was kind of important for, like, morale and team building. So, like, you know, when we travel and stuff, like, we know people,” junior choir officer Michael Shea said. 

After the water fight, the group gathered to enjoy a potluck lunch with hot dogs grilled by Clayton.

On Clayton grilling hot dogs, Vance said, “It’s almost like we’re like a family at that point because it’s just so welcoming.”

Events like the Choir Kickoff exemplify State High Choir’s commitment to creating an uplifting experience for everyone in choir. 

“That people make memories and have fun, that’s the biggest goal,” Clayton said. “Just everybody to enjoy being in high school and enjoy choir.”