The smell of glue, newspaper, and fresh paper fill the halls of a new school year. But with the beginning of a new school year comes many fees from clubs, organizations and school in general.

The copious amounts of fees for school can pile up and be hard for some students to pay but the choir is taking a step in making some of those payments easier. The choir is getting updated uniforms this year and instead of wasting the use of the older dresses they are giving them to those in need, choir director Catlin Gasco explained.

“Every so often, schools in our district are given the opportunity to update the uniform closets to help our growing school population. Since this opportunity only comes around every so often, we decided to update our uniforms and to help out another school until it is their turn to receive this uniform grant,” Gasco said.

Junior and choir member Sam Searles feels that this donation could be a good step in helping the community and aid fellow performers.

“I think this donation makes a difference in the lives of the choir people given the dresses. It gives them the option of having a nice choir attire for concerts and such. You don’t know how much confidence and change in a performance a nice choir dress can make for a person,” Searles said.

Not only in this action one to benefit students but it also sets a good example for other school to do the same explains junior and varsity choir member Lily Ang.
“This could encourage more schools to do the same with more donations with uniforms and other simple hard to meet necessities for schools,” Ang said.

This donation can help more choirs feel put together and for performers having the proper attire can help to build confidence and can help highlight each person’s talent even more.  

“I think the donation of these dresses to a school that needs them will allow the members of the choir to look and feel professional during their performances. Many community members attend the local high school concerts and I think having formal uniforms in good condition helps to showcase the wonderful Fine Arts programs we have in our district,” Gasco said.

All organizations in school can cost a good amount of money to participate in and many organizations like choir (band, orchestra,etc.) require students to buy concert attire which can be expensive so any assist with this cost would be helpful, Orchestra member and junior Clarisse Burns explains.

“I  think that choir will really be helping out other schools by donating their dresses. I’m in orchestra, so I know just how expensive those dresses are and it would be a pretty good amount of money the kids wouldn’t have to pay,” Burns said.

Organizations should donate as much as possible because donating things that are not in good use and can be more beneficial to others is essential in helping more organizations and schools maintain their full potential.

“ I 100% think that the choir should do something like this again. It’s such a good cause that shouldn’t be ignored. Even if it’s donating dresses, old equipment, risers, things like that that could benefit other choirs in schools that cannot afford things like that, it’s so important for a school like ours to donate things for other schools in need. We luckily have the funds to afford new dresses and equipment, but we should always remember that there are other places that can’t, and need the support and donations from schools like Bowie,” Searles said.

The Choir has set an example for other organizations and schools to give more especially to those in need so performers and people can do their best mainly due to the benevolent members and directors.  

“ Our choir community has some of the most generous people in it, parents and students alike. We are very fortunate that we have the ability to purchase new dresses and that we have the kind students who are willing to donate a dress they purchased back to a school who will benefit from having them,” Gasco said.