balancing act 12 [student life] The average college student had a lot on his or her mind. Between schoolwork, extra-curricular activities and jobs, finding time to breathe was hard. But for four Harding students, the balancing scales had one more very big responsibility placed on them. When then junior Jillian Shackelford, senior Travis Wisely and sophomores Elizabeth Harrell and DavidWalton were selected as the 2007 Spring Sing hosts and hostesses, they gladly accepted the extra responsibilities. The honor of being a Spring Sing host or hostess was one known by few students. However, the commitment that had to be made in order to make the show a success was seen by the audience. The hosts’ time and energy had to be put into the production which meant everything from early Saturday morning rehearsals to late night study sessions throughout the semester. Balancing school, friends, Spring Sing and any other activities could take a toll on a host or hostess’s semester. However, those involved felt the lifelong friendships that were formed made it worth all the work. “Rehearsals are chock full of my best friends,” Wisely said. “I get to sweat, sing and steal the show with some of my favorite people in the world. Jokes abound, we work hard and rehearsal is over in no time.” Although rehearsals were tedious and frustrating at times, the end result and the cheers from audience members made students return to their hosting roles every year. Any student had the chance to participate in Spring Sing. The production was not just the clubs’ show, the directors’, the hosts’ or the ensembles’. It was an accumulation of all of them in a high energy, fun-filled show. Dottie Frye, director of Spring Sing, pushed the performers to their fullest potential. For the hosts, having the choreography and songs rehearsed continuously could be draining;however, Frye knew what she was doing. She knew that the more practice all of her team had, the better the show would turn out. She was not only their director, but also their advisor, comforter, mom, friend and teacher, too. “The best thing she does for all of us, though, is keep us focused on God,” Harrell said. “At the end of every rehearsal we all circle up and have prayer requests, and one of the guys prays. My favorite thing she says after every prayer before we leave is ‘know you are loved.’” Spring Sing was more than four days of performing. It was a semester of making lifelong friendships and memories to carry with those who participated past the final curtain call. “That first moment at the beginning of every show, every solo, every finale,” Wisely said. “Those are the moments.” [Marissa Shepard] Hosts and hostesses prioritize work and play simultaneously
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