
BOUND FOR MYRTLE BEACH!
The SCA High School Band and Chorus just returned from their annual Spring Music Festival, and, as in other years, we had a fantastic trip full of fun, competition, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime! This year we travelled to Myrtle Beach, SC, a past favorite destination for our students, and this year was no different.
We arrived at the Compass Cove Resort on Wednesday evening to pleasant weather and an Atlantic coastline that beckoned us to “jump in”. And that is exactly what some brave souls did- the water was like iced tea, but not far from the shore were the many hot tubs and heated pools at the resort that warmed us up. Thursday morning we were able to sleep in and then enjoy the resort. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the resort had so many recreation opportunities, so the students and chaperones spent a relaxing day of beach football, volleyball, surfing the waves, tubing the lazy river, and getting some sun. Mrs. Norton even jumped in the freezing water- well, not really jumped, more like “was dropped in”, but she was a good sport. That evening, we had a group devotion in the conference room. There were many teary eyed students as they testified about special people in their lives, and we were reminded that God is the source of all of those relationships. Mr. Smith then gave a devotion about the three Hebrew children who determined that they would do the right thing no matter what happened to them. It was a good lesson for us all, and we left encouraged and thankful. It was a sweet time.
Friday was competition day! We had to drive for about an hour to get to the competition site, Aynor Middle and High School. The choruses and ensembles competed first, and then the jazz ensemble and concert band performed in the afternoon. All groups did a fantastic job! For lunch, many of the students were introduced to BoJangles for the first time, a spicy chicken restaurant in the Carolinas. Having lived in North Carolina for years, I was glad that so many students came away loving one of my favorite fast food places. That evening, we went to one of South Carolina’s most popular entertainment complexes, Broadway at the Beach. This complex is full of restaurants, shops, and attractions. My favorite attraction was the speed boat, which was basically a jet ski that could hold eleven passengers. As we sped across the lake and did hairpin turns and 360s, we created quite a show for onlookers, especially Josh Hinen with his girl scream. By the end of the evening, students and chaperones alike were exhausted from the full day’s events.
On Saturday, we woke to cloudy skies and possible bad weather. It did begin to rain in the morning, so we decided not to go to the Nascar Speedpark, which was our original plan. The resort had several indoor pools and lazy rivers, so there would have been activities to keep the students occupied. The weather, however, cleared up, and we had another nice day. Saturday evening was the Pirate’s Voyage Dinner Show and Awards Ceremony. We feasted on chicken and pork as we watched the aerial acrobatics of the pirates, cheering on our team as they competed. Brandon Ardley and Tanner Richardson were especially spirited, almost as if they thought the competition was real.
Then came the awards ceremony for the festival. As we congregated in the pre-show area, we realized for the first time how big some of the other schools were. We felt small compared to them, and as the awards were being called out, it seemed as if two of the bigger schools were dominating, which, I think, is a good lesson in humility. We did receive several excellent ratings, the high school chorus received a superior rating, but in the categories for which there was competition, we did not come in first place. As the awards ceremony came to an end, the announcer prepared to give the final trophy of the evening. It was called the “Esprit de corps” award, and he said that people from the festival had been watching the schools throughout the festival to determine which school had the best attitude, cooperation, behavior, etc… It was an overall award, including performance, and as he read the name of the winner, Seffner Christian Academy, our school broke out into thunderous applause! What a blessing it was to receive that award. It was a trophy we could share with all of the groups, and it was a testament to the behavior and spirit of our kids. What a way to end an already memorable weekend. For me, it was one of the best band and chorus trips we have had in quite a while, and I am thankful to all of the parents and teachers who made it possible. Most of all, thanks to our Lord for giving me the privilege of teaching here at Seffner Christian Academy. May His blessings be always upon us!
-Kevin Skiles