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Campers participate in a dance at the HHS Summer Musical Theatre Camp the week of July 17. (Reporter Photo/Keith McCoy)

Choir time

Choir time

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Recreation time was a fun break for the kids.

Molly Brumfield and Isabel Mann

By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–The lights shined bright on 25 students between kindergarten and fifth grade on the stage at the Helena High School auditorium as they prepared to perform in front of family and friends on the final day of the Summer Musical Theatre Camp on Friday, July 21.

The inaugural summer camp was offered for five days by the Helena High School Choral and Theatre Departments July 17-21.

The camp was directed by HHS Theater Director Jefferson Casey, HHS Choral Director Cissy Johnson, and other HHS choral and theatre students.

“As you may or may not know, this is our first year to do this and we had a ton of fun,” Johnson said. “We want this to be fun for the kids and something that they enjoy coming to every year. We hope we do nothing but continue to grow. We had 25 students the first year and we didn’t get the word out till pretty late and we were very excited about that number.”

Campers received rotations of music and singing each day along with staging recreation and a snack. On the final day of the camp, there was a presentation for family and friends.

On July 21, the 25 campers performed the songs “Under the Sea,” “Where You Are,” and “It’s Summer,” accompanied with choreographed dancing and singing.

Helena High School junior Marcanthony Coronel helped work the camp and is currently involved with both theater and choir at HHS.

“It was just amazing to see how all the kids were enthusiastic to do this and you could see their faces light up whenever they said ‘Oh this is a cool dance move or I get to do this,’ and it was just fun,” Coronel said.

Gracie Jackson, also a junior at HHS, is involved with show choir and chamber choir and described her experience helping with the camp.

“We just heard several of the kids say they want to come back next year,” Jackson said. “We had three groups and there were about 8-10 in each group. Then we would also have stations and we would do games and then dancing and music. At the end of the day, we put everyone together. It was just fun and we look forward to doing it next year.”

To view more photos of the camp, visit Shelbycountyphotos.com.

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