Each year, students in the music department audition for the District Music ensembles. The judges accept a small number of talented musicians to perform in District, then determine if the students are qualified for All-State. Freshman Isabel Buckingham was one of only two freshmen at Blue Valley Southwest to make it into the All-State Music ensembles, and the only choir student selected in the school.

“I got into singing in fifth grade when there was a choir program,” Buckingham said. “That compelled me to continue choir throughout middle school and lead me to high school as well.”

Buckingham auditioned for and made it into District Choir, which took place on Dec. 2. She said she spent the day rehearsing with choir students from many different schools and put on a performance at the end of the day.

“[The District experience] was so cool,” Buckingham said. “To hear all of these different people singing at once, who all love to sing, was nice because it sounds really cool whenever you are singing with a large group.”

All students who auditioned for District above a certain score performed in the District Ensemble. After that, approximately 250 of the highest scoring students in District are eligible to participate in All-State.

“I did not expect to be making it into the State level,” Buckingham said. “I was expecting an experience out of the audition situation, but I wasn’t expecting anything to happen. I was surprised when I got into District and State; it’s just crazy to me.”

Buckingham has been singing since she joined her fifth grade choir and said she still loves singing. She said she has a bunch of teachers and mentors who have supported her in all of her years of choir.

“For anyone who wants to audition for anything or try out for something just go for it because you never know what could happen,” Buckingham said.