That’s how the 19 members of the 91����Ƶ Chamber Singers spent their spring break. From March 2 to 9, they performed at venues in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and at high schools throughout the Shenandoah Valley. 

The theme of this year’s tour was “Chorus of Peace: Songs of Lament and Hope” and featured selections sung in languages including Sesotho (spoken in Lesotho and South Africa), German, Latin and Italian.

We asked junior Iris Anderson and senior Afton Rhodes-Lehman, members of the Chamber Singers since their first year at 91����Ƶ, and junior Tyler Williams, now in his second semester with the group, to share their experiences from the tour. 

How did this tour compare to others?

Anderson: We got to go to a bunch of high schools nearby and sing for them and tell them about 91����Ƶ. There were a few high schools that a member or two had attended, and so it was fun to see them interact with their high school choir director and see where they came from.

Rhodes-Lehman: On tour, you see your local community in a way you haven’t before. We were going to places I hadn’t been exposed to, like Mennonite churches I haven’t gone to, so that was exciting. 

Williams: This is actually my first spring tour with the Chamber Singers. I can’t speak for other Chamber Singers tours, but I can compare it with other choir tours I’ve been on. This tour was the most fun and one of the easiest I’ve been on, simply because of the people I was surrounded by.

91����Ƶ Chamber Singers at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C., on March 2. (Photos by Rachel Schrock Photography / 91����Ƶ)

Did you have a favorite venue?

Anderson: It’s hard to pick a favorite. We sang in the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C., which was a cool place to sing in because it was so big and resonant and sounds beautiful to sing there. The Music Room in Orange, Virginia, was probably one of my favorite concerts. It was a great place. Despite it being a former hardware store, it had pretty good acoustics. And, we sang with the Rapidan Orchestra.

Rhodes-Lehman: I loved singing at the high schools. There are some high schoolers I’ve worked with through 91����Ƶ’s summer musical theater program, so I was excited to get to sing for them.

Williams: My favorite venue was definitely the sanctuary of First Mennonite Church in Richmond. I know a lot of others enjoyed singing at The Music Room. I, unfortunately, got sick on the tour, so I wasn’t able to sing with them there, but from what I heard, I’m extremely jealous that I missed that opportunity.

What was your favorite memory of the tour?

Anderson: I loved hanging out with the people in choir. It’s a great group of people, so it was great to spend time with them and get to know them a little better and have fun. I frequently said to my friends on the trip: “I don’t think I’ve ever laughed this much.” There was a lot of laughter and good connection. All the churches were so generous and gave us dinner. Most nights, we would perform and go home with a host family and get a little glimpse into their lives for a night, like a mini-crosscultural experience.

Rhodes-Lehman: We got to perform in front of the reflection pool on the National Mall and that was fun. We put together our own little band based on instruments that people could play. That day, we probably did at least 12 songs.

Williams: My favorite moments were probably the car rides to and from performances and high schools. That’s where I got to know everybody on a deeper level and I feel so incredibly connected to everyone in Chamber Singers because of those long commutes. I also loved getting to know my host families when we sang at churches for services and concerts.

Answers have been edited for conciseness.

The center, located in the nation’s capital since 1976, is a program of 91����Ƶ.

The semester-long experience is also a community-building endeavor, with students living together in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington, D.C. This semester’s placements include several organizations that are longtime hosts of 91����Ƶ students, highlighting WCSC’s deep ties within the region. Many alumni can trace their careers back to a pivotal experience at WCSC.

Read on to learn more about the students, their placements and the organizations they are involved with. 

Iris Anderson, a psychology and sociology major from Corvallis, Oregon, is with the peace education program . She helps facilitate circles at after-school programs, a mens shelter and other groups to teach “skills for peace” or education on social-emotional health.

“I have been going to a wide variety of schools and have learned a lot about how a child’s environment can impact the way they interact with and learn about the world around them,” she said.

Tatiana Ayala, a social work major from Stafford, Virginia, is with the (LAYC). She is teaching, case managing and providing translation services at the organization, which provides services to youth such as safe housing, food, mental health, and virtual learning opportunities.

“I think the most significant learning experience I have had is helping clients with SNAP and Medicaid benefits as well as helping them navigate the DMV to get an ID and social security number,” she said.

Micaiah Coleman, a business administration major from Farmville, Virginia, is with the (WACIF). The nonprofit organization’s mission is to promote equity and economic opportunity in underserved neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C., region by getting financial capital and business advice to low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs. Read more about student experiences at WACIF.

Nardos Haile, a social work major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is with . She shadows case managers and team members at the nonprofit, which supports incarcerated and newly released individuals in their transition back to the community. Some of her day-to-day work includes assisting clients with resume building and navigating government forms for SNAP and Medicaid, finding housing solutions, and scheduling appointments for intake sessions or workforce development meetings.

“This internship is a constant learning experience for me, from paperwork to setting up TracFones for clients,” Haile said. “It’s a dynamic environment where I pick up new skills every day, including practicing de-escalation techniques to meet clients right where they are.”

Abigail Hickok, a history education major from Hickory, North Carolina, is with the . She archives the work of the center’s longtime education specialist to make it accessible for researchers after her retirement.

“It’s been helpful to get a sense of what museum work entails and to be involved in meetings concerning archives and artifacts, as well as getting to meet researchers and learn more about their work,” Hickok said.

Kervens Hyppolite, a computer science major from Richmond, Virginia, is with . He works with the cybersecurity team to set up client devices on Azure, trains clients how to use KnowBe4 and runs vulnerability assessments on client networks and websites.

“Being able to communicate with clients and educate them is a big part of what most analysts do on a day-to-day basis, and having that experience is going to be key for me as I enter the field,” he said.

Zachary Kennell, a Bethel College biology and business major from Newton, Kansas, is with . He works with certified prosthetists and orthotists to provide care to patients who have lost function in one or more extremities. Observing how clinicians interact and adapt to the needs of different patients has led to many learning experiences, he said.

Natalie Ladd, a social work major from Waldron, Michigan, and Hesston, Kansas, is with , an organization that provides legal, social and language services to low-income immigrants in the D.C. area. Some of her tasks include helping clients fill out forms for Medicaid, SNAP or online therapy; researching resources for clients; assessing their needs at intake sessions; and attending events to provide information about resources.

“I really enjoy working as a case manager and am looking for a similar job for after I graduate,” Ladd said. “I also have used this semester to work on my Spanish more as the majority of our clients speak Spanish.”

Anna Tieszen, an accounting and mathematics major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, is with the , where she assists the finance department in matching invoices and getting them approved to be paid. She said she has also worked on transferring information between systems.

“Getting to dip my toes into the accounting field for a few months has given me the chance to see how accounting works throughout a business and keeps that business running behind the scenes,” Tieszen said.

Aidan Yoder, a political science and history major from Kalona, Iowa, is with the ‘s Washington office. At MCC he’s focused on the issues of climate change and militarism, which involves being active in several interfaith working groups to coordinate their efforts. He’s written articles, made educational TikToks and processed organizational sign-on letters to indicate MCC’s support for certain issues.

“My most significant experience from my internship at MCC has been learning how organizations can work together in a way to multiply the impact that they would have had on their own,” Yoder said.

Summer 2023 placements included:

• Justin Aggrey, a digital media and communication major from Culpeper, Virginia, at video production company Washington Digital Media.
• Laura Benner, an engineering and computer science major from Telford, Pennsylvania, at the Smithsonian National Zoo.
• Ben Childers, a liberal arts major from Chesterfield, Virginia, at the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington.
• Gelila Dibekulu, an economics and political science major from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at nonprofit financial reform organization Jubilee USA Network.
• Clare Henschel, a Viterbo University psychology major from Kiel, Wisconsin, at Little Friends for Peace.
• Ethan Klassen, an engineering major from Mountain Lake, Minnesota, at HVAC and plumbing contractor Shapiro & Duncan Inc.
• Zoey Mongold, a history & social science and secondary education major from Mathias, West Virginia, at Sumner School Museum and Archives.
• Isaac Sawin, a nursing major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, at Bread for the City, which provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to low-income residents.
• Lily Simpson, a social work major from Limerick, Pennsylvania, at affordable housing nonprofit Jubilee Housing.
• Will Stutzman, a music interdisciplinary studies major from Denver, Colorado, at The Keegan Theatre.

Jamie Reich, WCSC’s associate director of communications and recruitment, collaborated on this article.