Fourth quarter, while students are studying for finals, the chorus kids are preparing for the Pops concert. While this concert counts as the final exam for music students, it is also an excellent chance for chorus students to express themselves. They each must audition by choosing any song they want and performing it. This could mean coming up with a dance routine, playing the song on an instrument, or just singing it. Most students jump at this opportunity to perform their favorite songs.

"I’m [singing] the song ‘All That I’m Living For’ by Evanescence," three-time Pops veteran Brittany O’Neil said. "Evanescence is my favorite band, I love the song, and I can really relate to it."

Only seventeen acts will be selected out of the thirty or so chorus students. Many students choose to audition in a group performance to increase their chances of being selected.

During the prep time for the concert, it is not at all unusual to walk into the chorus room and find yourself surrounded by people dancing, people singing, and people playing instruments. It is a time of hard work and concentration for those who earn one of the coveted time slots. For those who do not get picked, it is a time for interviewing the seventeen acts and preparing to "MC" the concert. But no matter what role he or she will play in the concert, most everyone looks forward to it with butterflies in his or her stomach.

"I’m really nervous about it, because I’ve never done a Pops concert before," Senior Jill Stackhouse said. "But I’ve heard from others that it’s an amazing experience."

A truer statement could not be said. All of the chorus students’ hard work will pay off in June. It is definitely a concert worth atten