June 18, 2019 -- Heights Middle School’s instrumental and vocal musicians represented their schools well when they competed at the annual Music in the Parks competition in May. Four music teachers and 24 parent chaperones accompanied 124 members of the Chamber Orchestra, Honors Orchestra and Challenge Choir to Sandusky, Ohio where they performed in the competition in the morning and enjoyed Cedar Point amusement park in the afternoon. 

The two orchestra ensembles earned Superior ratings and 2nd place finishes in their respective categories and the honors choirs placed 3rd with an Excellent rating, their highest score in the past three years. Mr. Dan Heim and Ms. Katie Holaway, who teach instrumental music, were especially impressed by the dedication of their students, who meet outside of class or with very limited class time “and still compete at such a high level.” 

Challenge Choir director Mr. Jacob Ross said how proud he was “of all the students and how well they handled themselves that day.” He also thanked the parent volunteers, who spent a very long Saturday chaperoning young teenagers around a massive amusement park, and the district bus drivers who got them safely there and back. “The trip would be impossible without them,” Ross said.