Ava Tennett, a junior at GHS, is on the path to win an honorable award for her musical abilities- the All-State Four-Year Award. Organized by the New Hampshire Musical Educators Association (NHMEA), the NH All-State choir is a prestigious organization that accepts only the best of the best. 

With competitive singers, the audition process is very static and strict. “You’re given a card with your name on it; that’s the only way to identify you. It prevents bias,” Ava expressed, “The entire thing is strictly based on how you do in the audition rooms.”

The intense atmosphere can be a lot for one person. For Ava, it impacted her nerves the most. “I’ve never had a real audition before, and I wasn’t used to auditioning in front of judges,” she admitted. “I was shaking so much from the anxiety. You can’t support your breath control when you’re freaking out.” However, this didn’t deter her from performing to her fullest potential. She got in with a score of 861/1000.

Senior Kaelyn Lavery has been performing with Ava since middle school; however, the two became close friends during Ava’s freshman year. “Ava is such a bright and amazing human being,” Kaelyn voiced, “She’s always made sure to be welcoming and put her best foot forward.”

This freshman year acceptance, which led to sophomore and junior year acceptances, presents many opportunities for Ava. “I can get the Four-Year Award, my teachers give me more in class opportunities, and it looks really good on my college applications, so this opens a lot of doors for me.” Kaelyn has expressed how proud she is of Ava and all the things she’s accomplished since beginning high school. “Ava has the ability to push herself and others. I am so proud of her and hope she will continue to pursue music in whatever she does because she truly brings an element of fragility and power to every song she sings.”