Picture above: A photo of a list of competing choirs, a photo of the English Chapel, and a "School Days" poster.
DATE:
11/5/13
I wanted to volunteer for School Days in 2012 but I could not due to other classes I had to attend. This year, because I only had one in-person class on Tues/Thu, I was able to go to School Days despite my busy assignment schedules. So I went with my Jenny!
My main regret was that I did not wear a costume while helping at School Day. The more we think about it, the more Jenny and I agree that it would have been much more of a fun experience if we wore costumes. However, due to other assignments that delayed the costume-making process, we didn't have any costumes to wear. Ironically enough, the week that I had the most free time to make the costumes was the week when another History (group) project was due; meaning one history (group) project delayed another history (individual) project due to unforeseen circumstances in the group I was in.
DATE:
11/5/13
I wanted to volunteer for School Days in 2012 but I could not due to other classes I had to attend. This year, because I only had one in-person class on Tues/Thu, I was able to go to School Days despite my busy assignment schedules. So I went with my Jenny!
My main regret was that I did not wear a costume while helping at School Day. The more we think about it, the more Jenny and I agree that it would have been much more of a fun experience if we wore costumes. However, due to other assignments that delayed the costume-making process, we didn't have any costumes to wear. Ironically enough, the week that I had the most free time to make the costumes was the week when another History (group) project was due; meaning one history (group) project delayed another history (individual) project due to unforeseen circumstances in the group I was in.
Helping at RenFest's School Days
The very first thing I remembered when I first got to the site was driving my car to my parking spot then saying "Do I see someone that's half naked?" One of the volunteers who were also taking the same professor I was for HIST decided to dress up as a gladiator... in the cold... in the drizzling rain...
Anyways... Mrs. Q's students met up at the Media Center to receive our assignments for the day.
Anyways... Mrs. Q's students met up at the Media Center to receive our assignments for the day.
Jenny and I stayed together since the School Days director said that two people should work together to run rehearsals for the school competitions.
After we received our assignment sheets, we set out to look for the "Chapel" on the map.
[Side note: we met a cute monkey that gave us high-fives on the way to the Chapel.]
When we got there, however, there were six different chapels in one area. We walked around to all of the chapels to find the choir judge we were supposed to work with, but we couldn't figure out which chapel we were supposed to go to...
I found out later after meeting up with some classmates that the sticky note on the assignment sheet did not indicate the language we were supposed to speak, but it indicated which chapel we were supposed to go to. So then we made our way to the English chapel.
The Experience of Running Choir Rehearsals
What we were supposed to do: Our assignment sheets had a list of competing choirs and their performance times. Our assignment was to escort each choir into the English Chapel 20 minutes before their performing time, then escort the choirs to the Cathedral Wedding Chapel for the competition. I believe Jenny and I were working with another one of Mrs. Q's students named "Stephanie."
Several school choirs did not show up to the Chapels, so we would mark them down with a star as a "no-show." However, one of the schools who were marked as a no-show (Longfellow.) decided to walk straight to the Cathedral Wedding Chapel without meeting with us at the English Chapel. Therefore, we did not know they showed up and interrupted the schedules until Stephanie came and told us what happened. Another problem we encountered frequently with the no-show problems was that there were five schools showed up with sign-in papers saying they were competing in our division. However, these schools were not on our list that was given to us. This caused us to squeeze these schools into the schedule we already printed. These two problems caused the schedule to fall behind, resulting in the constant "I'm sorry if this causes any inconveniences, but the competition's running behind by about 5 minutes... but the rehearsal times stay the same" to the choir directors.
However, one choir director did not seem to understand his position. When Jenny told the director for MacArthur that it was time for them to leave the English Chapel and wait at the Cathedral Wedding Chapel, he snapped at Jenny saying that the competition's behind by 5 minutes anyways, so why can't his choir stay in the English Chapel for another 5 minutes. When she told him that there was a school outside waiting because it was their time to rehearse and that everyone had a set time to rehearse in the English Chapel, the director told Jenny to tell our "director" that it was our "director's fault" that the schedule fell behind and that our "director" should do something about it. After he snapped at Jenny, he and his choir left the English Chapel and continued practicing outside the chapel. When this happened, I was in the middle of running an errand, so when I came back, all I saw was that the MacArthur choir was practicing while their director looked super unhappy. When I met up with Jenny, she also looked unhappy, then she told me what happened...
One of the school choirs had some VERY inconsiderate and rude high schoolers that I was not able to tolerate. Christian-Something Academy was one of the schools we had to squeeze into the schedules because they were assigned to our division at the last minute. This choir started to meet up at the English Chapel at around 11:15am when their rehearsal time wasn't until around 12:30pm, so the director asked that if it was ok for his choir to sit in the English Chapel. At this time, Huntsville Elementary (full of dark-skinned kids) was getting ready to rehearse for their competition time. Several of the Christian-Something Academy choir members kept staring at the Elementary choir because of one of the dark-skinned girls had a skin condition to where she had light spots all around her face. They were just pointing at her from outside the English Chapel saying "Look at her! It's so disturbing" "Oh my Gosh, she looks hideous." "She looks very, very scary like a monster" And when the director saw her, he also said "That is very scary, indeed." I snapped at the group and told the director "If you want me to allow your group to sit in and wait, make sure none of your choir members say anything about that girl." He apologized to me, then I let the Christian-Something Academy choir sit in the Chapel. As the Huntsville Chapel prepared to leave for another school to come in, I stood in front of the Christian Academy choir to make sure no one would say anything as the girl walked past the high school choir. However, it was VERY CLEAR to me that the teens were still giving weird looks at the girl as she left.
Another director (who apparently has two daughters who were successful in regional and national choir competitions) and her choir from Montgomery also interrupted our schedule and work. When Jenny told the Montgomery director that their rehearsal time was up, she kept saying "ok" and seem cooperative. However, she took her time to give a pep talk to her choir and she did not rush her choir or herself to leave the English Chapel. Because of this, not only was the rehearsal time and performing time were already behing, but the rehearsal time was now behind by an additional 5 minutes because of Montgomery. The next choir proceeded to their rehearsal and performance smoothly. By the time the following choir entered the English Chapel to rehearse, Montgomery finished their performance. Jenny and I kept our eyes out for Lutheran S. Academy, but we only saw big crowds of people who were not them, so we thought they were another no-show choir. After a while, a lady came up to us saying that she was Lutheran's director. I then asked if her choir was with her, and she said they were all there. When I asked where they were, she said pointed over the crowd of people and said that her choir was waiting at the end of the crowd. I widened my eyes because Jenny and I did not realized that the crowds of people were all from and with Montgomery (who already finished performing and were there to "chill" and take pictures). I told the Lutheran's director that I would make sure her choir comes in to rehease as soon as the other choir finished practicing. I tried to get the Montgomery director to move her choirs and the crowd, but she kept ignoring me and kept talking to the other adults. I then went to the entrance of the English Chapel and spoke loudly against the choir people in front of me saying "I need everyone here to move aside for the next choir to move to the performance chapel. Make way, please. I need this space for the choir to leave," then they moved. I went to the choir people beside the front chapel and did the same thing by saying "I need everyone to move out of this area so the next choir can enter this chapel to rehearse. I need you to keep the entrance clear so one team can leave, and so the other can come in." It was after this that one of the parents with Montgomery told the other adults that everyone should move because rehearsals were still going on...
Because all of these additions to the schedules caused Jenny and I to lose our lunch break, I went off to buy food for Jenny and I to eat at the English Chapel while we were working (semi-unprofessional...). I bought corn and sausage, and it turns out that Jenny loved the sausage... now back to work-story:
By the end of the competition, we thought Angleton's Choir, the last choir, was a no-show because it started to rain and no one was coming to us anymore. But we also finished the second-to-the-last early at 2:30pm (about 10 minutes early). After more waiting, a director of Angleton came up to us and told us that Angleton was practicing behind the English Chapel under a tree and that they want to request to keep their original 2:50 performing time so they can rehearse. So we waited for them in the rain until they finally came to the Cathedral Wedding Chapel to perform.
Although all of these crap happened while Jenny and I were working, there was a number of very nice directors who were very cooperative. The ones I especially remember after a month later is a very young-looking black (no racism) director from McGregory Elementary (I think...), a very nice gay (not being homophobic) director from Westgate High School (I think.), and a lady from the Woodlands high school (I mainly liked the Woodlands because I got to meet my cousin again after a year or so of not meeting her).
Several school choirs did not show up to the Chapels, so we would mark them down with a star as a "no-show." However, one of the schools who were marked as a no-show (Longfellow.) decided to walk straight to the Cathedral Wedding Chapel without meeting with us at the English Chapel. Therefore, we did not know they showed up and interrupted the schedules until Stephanie came and told us what happened. Another problem we encountered frequently with the no-show problems was that there were five schools showed up with sign-in papers saying they were competing in our division. However, these schools were not on our list that was given to us. This caused us to squeeze these schools into the schedule we already printed. These two problems caused the schedule to fall behind, resulting in the constant "I'm sorry if this causes any inconveniences, but the competition's running behind by about 5 minutes... but the rehearsal times stay the same" to the choir directors.
However, one choir director did not seem to understand his position. When Jenny told the director for MacArthur that it was time for them to leave the English Chapel and wait at the Cathedral Wedding Chapel, he snapped at Jenny saying that the competition's behind by 5 minutes anyways, so why can't his choir stay in the English Chapel for another 5 minutes. When she told him that there was a school outside waiting because it was their time to rehearse and that everyone had a set time to rehearse in the English Chapel, the director told Jenny to tell our "director" that it was our "director's fault" that the schedule fell behind and that our "director" should do something about it. After he snapped at Jenny, he and his choir left the English Chapel and continued practicing outside the chapel. When this happened, I was in the middle of running an errand, so when I came back, all I saw was that the MacArthur choir was practicing while their director looked super unhappy. When I met up with Jenny, she also looked unhappy, then she told me what happened...
One of the school choirs had some VERY inconsiderate and rude high schoolers that I was not able to tolerate. Christian-Something Academy was one of the schools we had to squeeze into the schedules because they were assigned to our division at the last minute. This choir started to meet up at the English Chapel at around 11:15am when their rehearsal time wasn't until around 12:30pm, so the director asked that if it was ok for his choir to sit in the English Chapel. At this time, Huntsville Elementary (full of dark-skinned kids) was getting ready to rehearse for their competition time. Several of the Christian-Something Academy choir members kept staring at the Elementary choir because of one of the dark-skinned girls had a skin condition to where she had light spots all around her face. They were just pointing at her from outside the English Chapel saying "Look at her! It's so disturbing" "Oh my Gosh, she looks hideous." "She looks very, very scary like a monster" And when the director saw her, he also said "That is very scary, indeed." I snapped at the group and told the director "If you want me to allow your group to sit in and wait, make sure none of your choir members say anything about that girl." He apologized to me, then I let the Christian-Something Academy choir sit in the Chapel. As the Huntsville Chapel prepared to leave for another school to come in, I stood in front of the Christian Academy choir to make sure no one would say anything as the girl walked past the high school choir. However, it was VERY CLEAR to me that the teens were still giving weird looks at the girl as she left.
Another director (who apparently has two daughters who were successful in regional and national choir competitions) and her choir from Montgomery also interrupted our schedule and work. When Jenny told the Montgomery director that their rehearsal time was up, she kept saying "ok" and seem cooperative. However, she took her time to give a pep talk to her choir and she did not rush her choir or herself to leave the English Chapel. Because of this, not only was the rehearsal time and performing time were already behing, but the rehearsal time was now behind by an additional 5 minutes because of Montgomery. The next choir proceeded to their rehearsal and performance smoothly. By the time the following choir entered the English Chapel to rehearse, Montgomery finished their performance. Jenny and I kept our eyes out for Lutheran S. Academy, but we only saw big crowds of people who were not them, so we thought they were another no-show choir. After a while, a lady came up to us saying that she was Lutheran's director. I then asked if her choir was with her, and she said they were all there. When I asked where they were, she said pointed over the crowd of people and said that her choir was waiting at the end of the crowd. I widened my eyes because Jenny and I did not realized that the crowds of people were all from and with Montgomery (who already finished performing and were there to "chill" and take pictures). I told the Lutheran's director that I would make sure her choir comes in to rehease as soon as the other choir finished practicing. I tried to get the Montgomery director to move her choirs and the crowd, but she kept ignoring me and kept talking to the other adults. I then went to the entrance of the English Chapel and spoke loudly against the choir people in front of me saying "I need everyone here to move aside for the next choir to move to the performance chapel. Make way, please. I need this space for the choir to leave," then they moved. I went to the choir people beside the front chapel and did the same thing by saying "I need everyone to move out of this area so the next choir can enter this chapel to rehearse. I need you to keep the entrance clear so one team can leave, and so the other can come in." It was after this that one of the parents with Montgomery told the other adults that everyone should move because rehearsals were still going on...
Because all of these additions to the schedules caused Jenny and I to lose our lunch break, I went off to buy food for Jenny and I to eat at the English Chapel while we were working (semi-unprofessional...). I bought corn and sausage, and it turns out that Jenny loved the sausage... now back to work-story:
By the end of the competition, we thought Angleton's Choir, the last choir, was a no-show because it started to rain and no one was coming to us anymore. But we also finished the second-to-the-last early at 2:30pm (about 10 minutes early). After more waiting, a director of Angleton came up to us and told us that Angleton was practicing behind the English Chapel under a tree and that they want to request to keep their original 2:50 performing time so they can rehearse. So we waited for them in the rain until they finally came to the Cathedral Wedding Chapel to perform.
Although all of these crap happened while Jenny and I were working, there was a number of very nice directors who were very cooperative. The ones I especially remember after a month later is a very young-looking black (no racism) director from McGregory Elementary (I think...), a very nice gay (not being homophobic) director from Westgate High School (I think.), and a lady from the Woodlands high school (I mainly liked the Woodlands because I got to meet my cousin again after a year or so of not meeting her).
This is our schedule paper that survived in the rain that day!
After having to stand in one area for six hours while dealing with some choir directors or choir teams who had some REALLY bad attitude, Jenny and I finally got to walk around RenFair and we finally got her to touch some llamas she kept eyeing at while we were working at the English Chapel. Jenny wanted to feel the llamas ears (similar to how she felt the donkey's ears while we were at the Balke's Farm) but it kept bucking its head around. We found out that the llama doesn't like it when something touches its hear. I wanted to have Jenny ride the llama but the people who took care of the llama said that Jenny was too heavy.
Later on, we continued walking around a semi-empty RenFair (To find drinks and the friendly monkey) to find out that it was actually closed........ hah... haha.......
Then we left School Days (after an awkward "We did not talk to Ms. Cooley before she left, so we can't camp there during the weekdays because we don't have permission to") as we waited for our free RenFest tickets so can use them for our next visit!
Then we left School Days (after an awkward "We did not talk to Ms. Cooley before she left, so we can't camp there during the weekdays because we don't have permission to") as we waited for our free RenFest tickets so can use them for our next visit!