Mrs. Leslie Walker and one of the SJHS choirs.

Jose Martinez
SJHS Staff Writer

Every year at Springville Junior High there is always a very special concert, The Winter Choir Concert.  This year the Winter Choir Concert will be held on January 14th.  It is a prestigious honor for the choir students to be in. They have been practicing since the beginning of the year to bring students and staff members a rich and life filled-concert with a variety of musical styles and well known songs.

“The Winter Concert has a lot of variety in the types of songs we sing. I think people coming to see it will enjoy the different styles of music that we sing,” said Mrs. Leslie Walker, choir teacher at Springville Junior High.

“Next semester, we have the Journey Men. They are a group of eighth and ninth grade boys. I’m excited to work with them. I will also have a new group of Apprentice Singers, which I’m excited about. It’s always fun to get to know the new 7th graders. We will continue working in Master Singers, and we will have another concert in May,” said Mrs. Walker. The choir isn’t just stopping at this concert they are also going to continue throughout the year and beyond.

“The first semester students have been fantastic! I have really enjoyed working with them,” said Mrs. Walker. Springville Junior High is excited for the concert and for choir. The concert is scheduled to be on January 14th.

Katya Wagstaff, Krystena Robbins, Darby Farr, Aaron Stoddard, and Spencer Duncan participated in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert.

Katya Wagstaff
SJHS Staff Writer

Many may not know it, but Mrs. Leslie Walker, the SJHS Choral Director, also is a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  For the recent Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, The Wondrous Gift of Christmas, there was a children’s choir consisting of many childrens’ choirs from Utah.  One of those choirs, Hobble Creek Singers, is from Springville and is directed by Mrs. Walker.  Five of the ten children participating in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert are students at Springville Junior High.

Students Krystena Robbins, Darby Farr, Aaron Stoddard, Spencer Duncan and Katya Wagstaff were the five participating.  The concert was December 10th through the 12th, and Music and the Spoken Word, on the 13th.  During the week of the rehearsals and performances, the students left Springville at about 4:00 in the afternoon and didn’t arrive back home until 11 or 12 at night.

“When you’re on stage, it’s a lot better than when you’re just watching,” said Krystena.  According to Aaron, the best part was the performances.  Darby had a different opinion, according to her, meeting Dr. Mack Wilburg and singing in the LDS Conference Center was the best.  Spencer simply enjoyed “being able to sing with friends and MoTab members.”

Being in the concert required making sacrifices; if you wanted to be in the concert, it was required that you participate in every single rehearsal and performance.  According to Krystena, she sacrificed part of the time that she normally would’ve been asleep.  According to Darby, she missed her first ballroom concert with BYU.  Aaron had to miss a swim meet.

Performing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was a learning experience.  Spencer said, “[The concert] helped me appreciate what the MoTab members go through every week.”  According to Aaron, it improved his singing voice and his confidence.  Confidence is needed if you’re performing in front of up to 21,000 people, and being filmed for a DVD to come out the next year!

No matter how many sacrifices were made, all the kids agreed that it was worth it, even though they were wearing black turtleneck sweaters with long sleeve, baggy lilac shirts with a violet bow over, a purple beret tipped to the left, and either a black skirt or black pants.  Talking about the costumes, Darby said, “I looked like a French painter, but I wish I could do it again.”  According to Krystena, she’d love to as long as she’d be able to get more sleep.

Spencer Duncan
SJHS Staff Writer

Mrs. Leslie Walker teaches choir part-time at Springville Junior High.  She teaches for the seventh-grade Apprentice Singers, eighth and ninth-grade Knightingales and Journeymen, and last, but not least, the ninth-grade Master Singers.

Mrs. Walker has worked at Springville Junior for seven years. Besides teaching choir at Springville Junior High, Mrs. Walker sings in the LDS Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  She also leads a local children’s choir called the Hobble Creek Singers.

According to Brooke Lange, a ninth-grade Master Singer in Mrs. Walker’s class, Mrs. Walker teaches well and is funny.  Brooke also said she is very nice.  Max Williams, a seventh-grade Apprentice Singer at SJHS, said, “We have a lot of good songs.”  Michelle Herrera, another Apprentice Singer said, “I enjoy having Mrs. Walker as a teacher because she is fun; she lets us sing a lot of fun songs and you can bet it is never boring in that class!”  Mrs. Walker’s class is enjoyed by so many of her students.

Katya Wagstaff
SJHS Staff Writer

When you walk by the SJHS Choir room during sixth to eighth period, you will hear melodies and harmonies. On December 11th, elementary school students will be able to hear these harmonies and melodies without leaving their schools. “All of the elementary schools in Springville will be visited (by the Master Singers and Knightingales),” said Mrs. Leslie Walker, the SJHS choir director. The Master Singers is the ninth grade audition choir; the Knightingales are a mixed chorus of eighth and ninth grade girls.

The Master Singers will be presenting four pieces one with “Choralography—movement on the risers” and another one with a full dance; while the Knightingales will perform three, one with “choralography.” The choralography for the Knightingales was taught by Mrs. Courtney Johnson, an SJHS Vice Principal, who once performed with the BYU International Folkdancers.

For the eighth grade Knightingales, this will be a new experience. According to Krystena Robbins, an eighth grader, she is excited because little kids love songs. Her favorite song they’re performing in “Santa Claus is coming to Town.” She has a younger sister who attends Sage Creek Elementary, whom Krystena will get to see in the afternoon.

Chelsea Ricks
SJHS Staff Writer

On Thursday December 2, 2009, the choir preformed their Christmas concert at Springville Junior High. This included the Apprentice Singers, Knightingales, and Master Singers. Some of the songs that the master singers sang were songs from all over the world. Both the Knightingales and Master Singers danced during some of their songs.

Cami Sumsion, a Master Singer at Springville Junior High, said, “I chose to take choir and tryout for Master Singers because it was fun and challenging at the same time.” The choir students practiced singing their songs during class. “We practice our songs by singing them, and Mrs. Walker will stop and fix what needs to be fixed in that song,” said Braden DeFreese, another Master Singer.

The choir will be performing some of these Christmas songs for the school right before the Christmas break.

Brooke Seaton
SJHS staff writer

The choir students at SJHS are exited for this year’s first choir concert. The choir concert will be December 2nd. The Apprentice Singers (seventh graders) will be performing at 6:45, and the Knightengales and Master Singers (eighth and ninth graders) will be performing at 7:30.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir teacher, said that they have been rehearsing since the start of the year. Most of the songs will tell stories. The choir will even do some dancing in their performances. According to Andrea Dockstader, an eighth grade choir student, the songs are spiritual and Christmas songs.  The entire choir will sing, as well as students in groups, but some will get the spotlight to themselves for a moment.

No one in the choir seems to be the least bit nervous. Krystena Robins and Andrea Dockstader both said that they have been in plenty of concerts so no that it’s nothing to get worked up about. The students have good faith in their teacher.  Krystena said, “It is so fun.  Mrs. Walker is a great teacher.”

The concert will be at Springville Junior High. “Don’t be late,” Mrs. Walker reminded the choir students. That goes for the audience too, you don’t want to miss any of this fun concert.

Kenia Martinez
SJHS Staff Writier

Here at Spingville Junior High we have students with many different talents. And the school’s curriculum offers a couple of classes for those wishing to learn more and practice those talents.

The school offers a class called Creative Writing for those who love to write. It’s a class where students can practice not only short stories, but poetry and song lyrics as well. Halley Rencher is a ninth-grade student at SJHS who has started too many stories to count, but said she’s only finished a few. She said she started liking to write at the beginning of seventh grade. “I mostly write short stories and novels, but I’m starting to like poetry,” Halley explained. She enjoys writing fiction, horror, realistic fiction and fantasy.

“I’m working on a realistic fiction about a group of teenagers who live a secret life and what happens to them because of their secret life.” She’s also currently working on a poem about a hunting creature who likes to terrorize his victims. Lately, Halley has been writing more fiction stories because “it sounds like it actually could happen.”  Halley finds inspiration in her friends, other books and dreams she’s had. She said that there was a time when she was having a particularly hard time finding inspiration, but she’s starting to get past that.  She also often finds inspiration in an unfinished novel by her friend.

SJHS also offers a choir class for those who enjoy singing and want to practice and extend their skills. Holly Whearley is a ninth-grade student of Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir teacher. Holly has been singing for six years. She sings slow songs, and she sings in soprano which is high-pitched. Her hero is Celene Dion. “She started out as nothing and became something,’’ Holly said, “No matter who you are, you can become something.”

Holly thinks she can improve on having more power in her singing style; she wants to sing like Dion. Her favorite things to sing are classic, old songs like Ave Maria.  She advises anyone who has a passion for something, even if they’re not very good, to keep striving for success. “You should follow your dreams.” Holly said.

Every kid likes to draw. Students doodle on the margins of their homework or on their notes in class. SJHS also offers a class for students to let out their creativity and get a grade for it. Jackson Averett is an eighth-grade student in Mr. Mitch Cudney’s art course. Mr. Cudney describes Jackson as an imaginative boy with advanced technical skills, good concentration and who is serious about art. He also said that he studies outside school in private art lessons. Jackson has been drawing since he was a little kid, but he says that he doesn’t really want to make drawing a career; he used to, but not very much anymore. He said it’s just a hobby now. Jackson’s favorite thing to draw with is a pencil, and he mostly does pencil sketches. “I like it because just because it’s fun.”

Steven Nunn, ninth-grade student in Mr. David Booth’s band class, plays the guitar, saxophone and clarinet. His favorite is the guitar because he said it is much more challenging than his other instruments. Steven said he would like to make a career out of music. “Only if the opportunity presents itself. There are many other careers I would enjoy doing.”

Steven’s number one inspiration is Eddie Van Halen. “He is the best guitarist ever… enough said,” Steven explained.

Steven started the clarinet in the 6th grade with Mr. Booth. “He is my hero,” he said. Steven has recently started to play with his father’s saxophone, and he has been playing guitar for almost a year now. The instrument that Steven wishes he could play is the drums and other percussion instruments.

Though there is not a class offered for every talent or passion a student may posses, there are still a lot of interesting, fun, and exciting classes to choose from.

Katya Wagstaff
SJHS Journalism Staff

Students at SJHS have the opportunity to audition for this school year’s musical sometime in January or February.  Not every student has what it takes to be a drama queen (or king).  But if a student really wants to, it is suggested that they have a good voice, and take dance lessons of any kind.

Last year, the musical The Fiddler on the Roof, was in the fall.  But that means auditioning at the end of the previous school year, and rehearsals in the summer.  This year the musical will be in the spring.  According to Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir director at SJHS, and the soon-to-be school musical director, “Depending on the play (I pick), the auditions will either be near the end of January or the beginning of February.”

The reason students audition or don’t audition normally depends on what musical will be presented.  Mrs. Walker has been choosing between High School Musical Jr. and Bye Bye Birdie.

What if Mrs. Walker chooses High School Musical Junior?  Students have different opinions about High School Musical.  Kaity Hansen, an eighth grader, said, “I love it! It’s my favorite movie!”  The reason students like or don’t like High School Musical could have something to do with Zac Efron, who plays Troy Bolton in the movie.

Another change taking place with the school musical is that Mapleton will not be invited to audition because they are doing a Shakespeare production at the same time.  That also means that Mrs. Erin Bailey, the Mapleton choir teacher, will not be helping this year like she did the last school year.

What is a school musical without choreography and a choreographer? The choreographer for this upcoming production will be Ms. Tyne Valgardsen, who choreographed Beauty and the Beast three years ago.

Being in the school musical can be an awesome experience for students.  It’s a chance to meet new people, learn new things and come outside of their comfort zone.

Jantzen Dalley
SJHS Staff Writer

The upcoming concert for this semester’s choir classes is just round the corner. Each of the choir classes has been practicing their songs, and they will have the opportunity to show off the songs they have learned.  All the SJHS choirs will sing on the same night, May 13th, at 7:00 p.m. The Apprentice Singers (seventh grade choir) will be singing before the other choirs at 6:15 p.m.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the SJHS choir teacher, commented when asked how the choirs will do in the concerts. “They are going to be wonderful! We have been practicing since January on all of the songs, so they should be in excellent shape by May 13th!”

Dallin Droubay, a choir student in the 8th and 9th grade Journeymen also commented on how he thinks the choirs will do. “I think that the choirs will do very well; they are well prepared and they will do great.”   Good luck to all the choirs on May 13th!

Sariah Morris
SJHS Staff Writer

The Knightingales, a Springville Junior High School choir, finished doing their classes during school, but they aren’t finished singing. Thirty three eighth-grade girls and Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir director, take their own time to get up early in the morning to go to choir. Clearly these girls and Mrs. Walker love this class.

It takes a lot of work and dedication for these girls to do this, not to mention all the work that Mrs. Walker does to come up with the songs, teach them to the girls, and set up performances.

The Knightingales sing all sorts of songs. Cami Sumsion, an eighth grader in the choir, said, “I like this class. I enjoy the songs we sing because they are a little bit harder than the other ones we used to sing.” Cami also said, “If you like to sing, then join this class. It is fun and exciting.”

The early morning choir starts at 7:00 A.M and ends when school starts. When asked about future concerts, Mrs. Walker said, “We will be singing for the school at our end of the year choir assembly and for our parents on May 13. We will also be singing at the district festival on April 5.”

Maddi Dayton, also an eighth grade girl in the choir said, “I really like going to choir, it helps me a lot. And it’s only one day a week, so it’s not too time consuming. We also have a wide variety of songs so everyone gets to do what they want. My favorite songs are the hard ones.”

Andrew Farr
SJHS Staff Writer

Springville Junior High has a class for those men that have changed and unchanged voices and an interest in singing: Men’s Choir. Men’s choir consists of eighth and ninth graders. Eighth graders sign up for the class because they think it’s just like seventh grade choir; and they’re right. It is just as easy, fun and relaxing. “The songs aren’t hard to learn,” Jantzen Dalley, an eighth grade student in men’s choir, said. “The class is and an easy A, all you have to do participate.”

The men in this class have learned seven songs. Barbra Ann, Sweet Betsy from Pike, Aura Lee, and In the Jungle are four songs the choir can name off of their heads.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir teacher, said, “Eighth grade is a great time to work with all men because many of them are dealing with voice change. It’s easier to fix problems without girls there! Plus, it’s just plain macho when the boys sing together.”

Maddie Patten
SJHS Staff Writer

Not many students outside the choir class know that we have a star in our midst here at SJHS. Mrs. Leslie Walker, choir teacher at Springville Junior High, is a long-time member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

This Christmas season, the Choir did a special four-day Christmas program from Thursday, December 11th, to Sunday, December 14th. They sang a wide range of songs, from the sacred “Angels from the Realms of Glory” to the secular “Sleigh Ride.” They were joined by soloist Brian Stokes Mitchell, who wowed the audience with his warm personality and rich tenor voice. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir practiced about sixteen hours to prepare for their Christmas concert. Mrs. Walker said about being in the Choir, “I love the sound around me when I’m singing. It’s so beautiful!”

Mrs. Walker thought the choir did a great job this year, and that the guest artists that sang really added to it. “The concert is over now, but I was really excited because of the amazing guest artists we had!” she commented.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is now preparing for a tour around the Midwestern states. They will travel to St. Louis, Missouri; Cincinnati, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; and a few others. With a schedule like this, there is never a dull moment in Mrs. Walker’s life!

M. Dayton
SJHS Staff Writer

On December 3, 2008 Springville Junior High School’s choirs took the stage with grand articulation. SJHS has three choirs, the seventh grade Apprentice Singers, the eighth and ninth grade Knightingales, Ladies Chorus, and the ninth grade Master Singers. Each choir had 15 to 20 minutes to showcase what the had been working all semester long. “I was astounded by the sound of the three choirs,” Kristi Hatch, an eight grade student, said. Many others share her same view. “The songs were so pretty,” Brooke Caswell, another SJHS student, reported. Over all, people are seeing the night as a big success.

“I was really proud of my choir [the Knightingales] and all the other choirs,” Maddie Patten reports. There was an array of songs ranging from classic carols to unheard melodies. Many family members and friends were thrilled with the program. “I loved the whole thing, especially seeing my sister and all her friends sing the songs,” said Camden Dayton.

The night was a success in large part because of SJHS’s choir teacher, Mrs. Leslie Walker. “Mrs. Walker always does an amazing job with the kids. She makes them work hard and it shows,” said Jill Dayton, parent of a SJHS student. Many parents, teachers, and students all agree that they are very lucky to have such a wonderful lady directing the choirs.

It was a great night that the performers and on lookers all enjoyed. “Mrs. Walker and all the chorus students should be commended for an excellent performance!” Arynn Patten, parent of a SJHS student, happily reflects. “Over all, it was a great performance and I’m looking forward to the next concert,” Camden Dayton readily commented. Camden is not the only one. Many parents, students, friends, and teachers also await the next performance in January. But more than anyone, the performers are looking forward to the next concert so once again they can enhance the lives of others through the gift of music.

Sarah Fawson
SJHS Staff Writer

Here at SJHS there has been some beautiful music coming from Mrs. Leslie Walker’s choir room. The junior high choir concert will be on December 3rd at 7:30 p.m. in the SJHS auditorium, and Mrs. Walker and the choir students hope to see you all there.

This Christmas, the the ladies choir, known as the Knightingales, are going to sing many different songs. Two of the songs are Christmas carols from Puerto Rico: “At the Hour of Midnight” and “Los Reyes del Oriente.” They will also sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Lullay Alleuia,” and “Up, Up, Up in the Sleigh.”

The advanced choir, known as the Master Singers, will sing “Only a Baby Came,” “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night in German), “Masters in this Hall,” and “Fruitcake.” They will dance and sing “Happy Holiday.” Both the Knightingales and Master Singers have been working on these songs since August and are very excited for the performance.

The Knightingales and Master Singers will also be going to the elementary schools in the area. The schools they will visit are Art City, Sage Creek, Brookside, and Cherry Creek. The junior high students are very excited to go and sing to the elementary students. The elementary students have loved to hear our choir in past years, and this year won’t be any different.

Kristi Hatch
SJHS Staff Writer

Excited parents, students, and friends lined up at Springville Junior High School on Wednesday, October 8 through Saturday, October 11, highly anticipating the start of the school play, Fiddler on the Roof Junior. Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Gleave, Springville Junior High School and Mapleton Junior High School students put countless hours of hard work and effort into making this a great production.

Students were nervous and excited before putting on the show. “It’s always hard putting on the first show because you don’t know if people will like it,” said Julianna Sheffield, who played the Fiddler. Malary Hatch, who played one of the mothers, said, “I was excited because I love putting on shows…I wasn’t nervous at all.”

Students thought that they did really well. “I think it went good. I tried my best, and I felt like I did a good job,” said Mike Bartholomew, who played one of the Russians. Students also thought that the audience liked it. “I think they really liked it. They gave us a standing ovation on opening night,” said Julianna Sheffield. Malary Hatch remarked, “They were screaming after every song, so I think they liked it a lot.”

Mrs. Walker, one of the directors of Fiddler on the Roof Junior believes that all the hard work of the students paid off, “There is great satisfaction in putting your whole heart and soul into a project. And we all did that!” Elizabeth Elliott, who played a daughter, agrees with her, “The audience enjoyed it, and if I can make people happy it’s worth my time.”

The audience really liked it, also. “I saw all of my friends and they did a good job,” said Holly Sumsion, an eighth grader at SJHS.

Everyone loved being in this production of Fiddler on the Roof, and many students are looking forward to next year’s play. Mrs. Walker said, “I think there will be many students who want to try out for next year’s play after seeing this one!” The students and directors put a lot of effort into this play, and they all are happy that they participated.