LEBANON - East Linn Christian Academy won a first-place trophy for the first time at the annual Association of Christian Schools International Music Festival, held March 18-19 at Seattle Pacific University.

ELCA Choral Director Jenni Grove took 28 high school music students to compete against 21 other schools from Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The 16-member large choral ensemble beat all other competitors.

Members of the ensemble sang "The City Called Heaven," featuring sophomore soloist Megan Knox, an alto. Sophomore Taylor Bates, a tenor, was chosen as a soloist for one of the all-choir mass pieces, performed the final night for 600 students and members of the public.

The East Linn Vocal Ensemble will perform next at the school's third annual Fine Arts Festival, 5 p.m. May 15 on the Victory campus, 31498 S. Fifth St., Lebanon. The festival is free and open to the public.

The group is available for other events. For information, contact Grove at 619-0556.

Grove said choir members are very proud of their accomplishment and are planning a special spot in the school's trophy case.

"We're going to make them scoot over the basketball trophies and put it right in the middle," she joked.

Democrat-Herald