By Susan Abram, Stafiter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VALENCIA -- Room 526 hums with harmony.

Girls dressed in long velvet and satin gowns gather alongside boys in pressed tuxedos for an impromptu sing-along around the classroom's grand piano.

Others collect sheet music, while some help run errands.

The buzz among the more than 100 students in Christine Enn's choir classes at Valencia High School has remained upbeat ever since they won a national competition to perform in Hawaii next month.

Since the beginning of the school year, the teens have held 26 different fund-raisers to afford the trip. They have sold carnations and doughnuts, worked at Six Flags California, wrapped Christmas gifts and sung at store openings -- all in an effort to afford the $1,200 apiece for the trip. And on Feb. 11, the students will host the communitywide Jump, Jive and Wail Valentine's Swing Dance to raise the rest of the money.

"They have worked so hard to get to Hawaii," said Enns. "We originally had been asked to perform at Carnegie Hall, but they wanted to forgo the trip to New York to see Pearl Harbor. Most of these kids have never traveled outside of Valencia. This will be amazing for them."

For most of the students, who have sung together in choir since their freshman year, the opportunity to combine their love of music with a trip to Hawaii was all the inspiration they needed to raise funds.

During the dance, many will perform solo standards with the Swingin' 6 Swing Band, a local group from the California Institute of the Arts.

"It's been a lot of hard work, but it feels good to know that I earned the money to go," said 17-year-old Paul Donoghue, also known as the "Tuba Man" as a band performer. "I've been waiting for four years to do this. It's all about the joy of music. Music touches people in ways no one else can."

Senior Krista Thayer came to Valencia High School last year from a private school in Burbank. Whenever she came to choir practice, she said, she was comforted by the warm family feeling of her peers and teacher, which is why she believes the students were all willing to work hard for the trip.

"We have a great teacher, which is the crux of it," she said.

IF YOU GO

The Jump, Jive and Wail Valentine's Swing Dance will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at Valencia High School, 27801 N. Dickason Drive, Valencia. For information, call (661) 294-1188, Ext. 526.

Susan Abram, (661) 257-5255 susan.abram@dailynews.com