Elementary Honor Choir
Hits Just the Right Note
for Young Vocalists
Audition-based choir program provides more opportunity for
Frisco ISD elementary students.
What do you do with a fourth or fifth
grader who constantly sings around the
house, perhaps even at the dinner table?
Julia Hedemark’s parents listened to
the advice of her music teacher, Stephen
McCarty of Shawnee Trail Elementary
School, and took her to auditions for the
Frisco ISD Elementary Honor Choir (FEHC)
– a District choir for fourth and fifth grade
students.
“He knows how passionate she is about
singing. I'm so happy we tried out and she
made it,” said Telya Mallad.
FISD’s leadership realizes the impor-
tance of introducing the arts to students
at a young age. Each elementary school
has music class and most have a campus
choir. The Frisco ISD Elementary Honor
Choir is made up of 99 of the top singers
from across the school district.
26 | FOCUS
Fourth and fifth grade students must
audition to be accepted and parents and
students agree to a 90-minute weekly prac-
tice schedule. The choir meets for practice
at Independence High School. The choir is
one of FISD’s oldest fine arts institutions,
founded in 1999. The choir is under the
direction of elementary music teachers
Eric Plyler and Kimberly Wheelock.
The students who are in the Frisco ISD
Elementary Honor Choir often go on to take
part in fine arts at the secondary level.
Rob Draper, choir director at
Independence High School and the lead
secondary-level choir director, says he
thinks parents’ investment in transporting
their elementary students to choir practice
each week will pay off in the future – if not
chorally, in the classroom.
Draper’s observation is based on the
fact that many of his own students are
not only involved in choir, they are also in
National Honor Society, other fine arts and
STEM classes, and for the most part, col-
lege bound. He sees a direct link between
fine arts and academics. The determina-
tion and commitment needed for success
in fine arts correlates to the classroom.
Being active in choir or after-school mu-
sic programs such as the FEHC, campus
choir, drum club or ukulele program can
build confidence in students that will help
when they transition to middle school.
“As soon as the audition for FEHC was
announced, Pranav jumped at the opportu-
nity and here we are!” said parent Sumitha
Krishnan about her son. “He loves being
part of the choir and is very proud of it.
Being part of the choir teaches him to open
up his voice, bold and loud, and helps him