Show Choir visits the Big Apple

New York City may never be the same.

Members of Dexter's Show Choir, under the direction of MaryRuth Boone, visited the Big Apple this summer, where they performed their musical and dance numbers to crowd on The Intrepid and at Ellis Island.

The group, some 32 strong, were accompanied by 22 parent chaperones on their flight and subsequent four-day stay in the city as they toured, tasted, and toasted (sodas only!) America's largest populated city of over eight million residents.

and the Statue of Liberty.

"For many of these students," Boone says, "it was their first time out of the state of Missouri. They saw a world they'd only witnessed in the movies or on television until this trip."

The trip marked the seventh time Boone has escorted Show Choirs on trips out of state. Previous trips have included destinations like New Orleans, Chicago, Orlando, and even London.

The group is independent of the local school system, and funds for their travels are raised solely through donations and various fundraisers held throughout the year.

This year's trip was an especially emotional journey for the local teens, with visits to Ground Zero and also to Ellis Island.

"The students were very deeply touched when they visited the site of terrorist attack that changed the world. These kids were only about eight and nine years old when 911 hit, and it was an extremely moving experience for them to see that location."

At Ellis Island, where information on over 12 million immigrants to America is housed, students were able to visit the museum and read the documentation of immigrants' arrivals generations ago. For at least one student, that experience took on a very special meaning.

Morgan Cliff will be a sophomore this year at Dexter High School. Her mother, Sherry, was one of the parents who accompanied the students on their adventure. Morgan's great-grandfather, Stepan Talach, (her father's grandfather) was among the immigrants who stepped off a boat at Ellis Island on July 3, 1922 from Czechoslovakia. He was 22 years old.

"We of course, had his name and a little information," explains Sherry Cliff, "and so we paid the five dollars to access some information to confirm his arrival on the museum's computer."

Once the information was accessed, the Cliffs had the opportunity, for a $25 fee, to obtain a "manifest" that provided detailed information about their ancestor's arrival, including the name of the ship and several details about the journey he took to freedom.

"It was very emotional looking at that manifest," Sherry says. "We all read it and cried."

The documents was rolled up and with great care, transported back to Dexter and presented to Steve Cliff's mother, Marilyn Cliff.

Emotions ran high again at Ellis Island when the group took to the balcony of the Ellis Island Museum for an impromptu performance of The National Anthem.

"Visitors to the Island just stopped and listened and they were so complimentary," Boone says.

Students also performed on New York City's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex, an interactive and educational journey for all ages. The museum's mission is to honor American heroes and to educate the public and inspire the nation's youth.

Show Choir members did some inspiring of their own as they took to the deck and performed to the delight of the Intrepid audience. The group performed a 20-minute medley of Michael Jackson music to an appreciative audience. Another performance took place at the United Nations.

A visit to St. Patrick's cathedral was also on the agenda and the group was provided with a tour of the NBC studios that included an in-depth historical overview on the development of television over the years. Visits to the recording sets of Dr. Oz and Saturday Night Live were just a couple of highlights during the NBC tour.

"Two of the students' favorite experiences," Boone says, "were seeing the Blue Man Group perform, and going to see "Wicked" on Broadway."

The students were treated to a private "chat time" following the musical and a choreography workshop prior to the show. A walk through Times Square, which for most had only been seen on television on New Year's Eve, also served as a favorite of the journey.

"It was an awesome trip," Boone says of the summer experience. "This is an exceptional group of young people and their parents were incredible. We had no major mishaps. We just had a wonderful time, and hopefully made a lifetime of memories."

The veteran choral director, MaryRuth Boone, who retired in May after more than three decades of teaching, has consistently interjected educational elements into her Show Choir adventures. The 2011 trip was no exception.

"We traveled to Chinatown and to Little Italy," she notes, and experienced the cuisine, culture and atmosphere."

Boone extended thanks to the local community for making the New York trip a reality.

"We live in the most supportive community. Without the cooperation and generosity of Dexter and the surrounding communities, these excursions would never be possible, and I thank everyone who was involved in this effort."