The show choirs of Homewood High School and Oak Mountain High School came together, putting aside their competition rivalry to forge new friendships with a Friendsgiving celebration Nov. 11.
The two groups had a potluck-style dinner at Veteran’s Park, played football and made new friends.
Both show choirs went to Nationals last year, which both strengthened their rivalry and allowed students to mingle, so Mosquera and Oak Mountain show choir director, Michael Zauchin, hoped this celebration would bring them together again.
“Show choir is very competitive, so naturally there come these things called rivalries,” said HHS show choir director, Byron Mosquera. “It was just, ‘let’s have food, let’s sit down, let’s talk to each other.’”
He said that the students set up the food at a pavilion, played games and sat around in circles for two hours after they were done eating to get to know each other.
Not only did Mosquera hope to strengthen relationships between the two groups, but also within his own.
He said that by having social gatherings and events outside of class and competitions, the students in the HHS show choir are better able to have genuine relationships with each other, strengthening their chemistry on stage.
These gatherings have been organized by HHS show choir social chair, Emma Claire Jordan.
Jordan said she contacted a leader from the Oak Mountain show choir with the idea, and they found a date and time that was optimal for both groups to meet up.
When the sun started going down, the pavilion lights went off due to the automatic timer, so the students got creative and made lanterns with phone flashlights and plastic cups.
“We were in the dark for about an hour, but that never stopped us from still having fun,” Jordan said. She was excited to see everyone continue to get to know each other despite the hiccup.
“I’m glad we have friends in other show choir programs,” she said. “We can both support each other.”
Mosquera hopes to make the gathering an annual tradition, inviting more over-the-mountain show choirs for festive bonding outside of competitions.
