Imagine you are sitting in class, minding your own business, when a group of students walks in and starts singing acapella. This is what happens at Green Hope High School on or around Valentine’s Day every year for Singing Valentines, a program run by the choir program at Green Hope.

The program stems back all the way from 2003, only a few years after the school opened. Chorus students get to pick their own songs and even compose their own arrangements. Singing Valentines is a great way for students to explore an interest in musical composition while enjoying a fun opportunity to connect with the broader school community. Chorus, being one of the smaller arts programs at Green Hope, uses the funds that they raise through Singing Valentines for necessary resources such as sheet music.

Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UGXGSfBoZY2B3jMbUv7b0roegWkV0SQ3/view?usp=sharing

• Click to hear Green Hope Chorus sing an acapella rendition of “More Than Words” by Extreme.

While the chorus students compose their music, they also set up in the commons and advertise the Singing Valentines, which can be bought by other students for their friends or lovers. Then, on the week of Valentine’s Day, the choir gets to showcase what they have been working on. They go into different classrooms based on who bought a Singing Valentine and sing an acapella arrangement, typically of a romantic, popular song.

Charlotte Payne (‘27) is a member of the advanced choir at Green Hope. She shared the process that the students go through in order to create the music. “We basically choose our groups and find a song we like. One person goes home and creates the harmonies and they teach it to us.” Running the Singing Valentines program is an entirely student-led process, and allows the students to display their choir skills in a new way.

Mr. Botwick, the chorus director and teacher, explained that his favorite part of the program is how it connects the school community to music. “One day filled with music isn’t enough, but I think Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to spread our love of music with everyone.” Singing Valentines is an opportunity for students in the school to learn about the chorus program while the program itself is able to spread what they love: music.

Although it provides an opportunity for chorus students to reach the general student population, Singing Valentines can be challenging for some students. Going up in front of an entire class where friends or complete strangers could be watching is nerve-wracking for anyone, and it is especially nerve-wracking to go up and begin singing. Mr. Botwick explained that “for the most part, students witnessing the Valentines are kind and encouraging, but not always.”

Student singers also get nervous about their performances. Despite enjoying spending time with her friends before the performance, Payne reflected on how she felt before performing, saying, “I feel nervous because it’s embarrassing.” To stand up in front of a class full of strangers and sing takes bravery and is not for everyone, but Payne still finds a way to enjoy the program’s social aspect. She noted, “My favorite part is singing with my friends.” Singing Valentines does not only bring the school community together, but brings the chorus program together as well.

In addition, students often come out of the program with a newfound appreciation for the process that goes into putting music together. Mr. Botwick explained how the program impacts his students: “Since the singing valentines are arranged by our students, I often see more students interested in composition after we do them.”

Singing Valentines offers an opportunity for chorus students to connect with the school, raise money for a program that they enjoy partaking in and allows students to grow. It brings some Valentine’s Day spirit to Green Hope students in a unique way and is a beloved tradition for the school as a whole. Next February, when Singing Valentines enters a classroom, students may not not see how the hardworking performers made the program possible, but what they will see is a love of music showcased for the entire school to see.