[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21379]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING SUMMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ @ 8 ADVANCED JAZZ CHOIR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 19, 2011

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor the 
Summerville High School Jazz @ 8 Advanced Jazz Choir for their 
exceptional performance at the 2011 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
  The Jazz @ 8 Advanced Jazz Choir has a 30-year history of outstanding 
performances. This year, the 18-member group is comprised of 10 girls 
and 8 boys, ranging from sophomores to seniors. The members, Camille 
Berringer, Adria Britton, Ian Britton, Joaquin David, Tonysha Hadden, 
Justin Jones, Kai Kellerman, Karissa Kirkle, Max Kohl, Sam Kohl, 
Charlie McClung, Hank Miller, Maeve Moriarty, Mikayla Murry, Morgan 
Murry, Rebekah O'Kelley, Aubreana Woodworth, and Autumn Worden are 
students of Summerville High School and the Connections Visual and 
Performing Arts Academy. This educational facility was established 10 
years ago on the Summerville campus to support the interests of 
students in visual and performing arts. Jazz @ 8 is directed by 
Madeline Young, the vocal music and drama director and teacher. 
Throughout the school year, this group performs at many community and 
school events, including parades, veteran ceremonies, luncheons for 
service groups, benefit dinners, and at local football and basketball 
games.
  The invitation to perform in Washington D.C. was a distinguished 
honor, and the students rehearsed every day to prepare. Accompanying 
the group to Washington, D.C. was Diana Harford, Principal of the 
Connections Visual and Performing Arts Academy and David Urquhart, 
Principal of Summerville High School. The Tuolumne County community, 
which is a small, rural community in the Sierra Nevada foothills of 
central California, was enormously generous and supportive of the 
students, the program and the school, providing the entire funding for 
the students to be able to make this once in a lifetime trip. In a very 
short amount of time, generous contributions ranging from $20 to over 
$6,000 were received to raise the $20,000 to cover all the costs for 
the four-day trip. Large donors include Summerville High School 
Foundation, Sonora Area Foundation, Black Hats, and Black Oak Casino.
  In addition to the tree lighting performance, the talented group of 
young adults performed at the White House for two hours during public 
tours and the Library of Congress during the 2011 Capitol Christmas 
Tree Lighting Ceremony reception hosted by the California State Society 
and sponsored by Southern California Edison.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and commending the 
Summerville High School Jazz @ 8 Advanced Jazz Choir on this 
accomplishment, and for representing the city and county of Tuolumne in 
such a positive light.

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