5th Graders NEVER Make The Cut
Oh 5th Grade year. I was like a tadpole in a sea of sharks. Through out the rest of my fourth grade year everyone knew my name. But in 5th grade, I started all over again. I didn’t have the star quality anymore and instead I was often nervous to ever sing in front of anyone anymore. I was in “big-kid chorus”, with a director, and where people auditioned for parts right in front of EVERYONE. Oh my jesus. Are these people crazy? Sure, I still had my voice. But these other kids were 8th graders and could sing like Aretha Franklin. (or at least I thought so at the time). I didn’t have a fully developed voice and I was extremely insecure about it. I walked into my first day in chorus, looked around and snagged a seat in a group of my friends. We learned all the music and solo auditions started. One by one, we all sang happy birthday (AWFUL AUDITION SONG- TAKE NOTE OF THAT). Ms. Roy, jot down her thoughts on a clipboard and I could tell whether she liked people by the franticness of her pencil. I was so nervous. I stood up, sang happy birthday and sat back down quickly. Looking down at my feet, I heard her say my name. I shyly looked up and she requested I try the song “On my Own”. I picked up my lyric sheet held it in front of my face and sang along to the music. I was so embarrassed. Why was I the ONLY one to sing two songs? As I finished the last note. All she said was… You got the part. I was freaking out. Maybe 5th grade wasn’t so bad. Maybe I could make my title of “girl with the voice” follow me outside of elementary school. I was so happy. I glowed the entire rest of the day. Knowing that a nobody like me was a chorus soloist. It was a HUGE deal. Months went by and the concert came and went. I did my solo and had all the parents clapping. Maybe, I’ll continue this little hobby of mine.
March Approached and I walked into the foyer to see a giant sea of kids standing outside the music room. I walked over to see what the fuss was about and saw the list. That lovely talent show list that started my singing career. This wasn’t 4th grade anymore. I wasn’t the big man on campus anymore. I walked up to the audition sheet with my best friend Gina and we both had the same thought. Let’s sign up together and do a duet. We reached for the pencil and signed up our names.
The next day, we showed up to the audition with our karaoke CD of “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones. Not a single 5th grader was there besides us. We didn’t feel like we belonged at all. We walked over to a few empty seats and sat down. Waiting for our turn a 6th grader came up to us and put us in our place. “5th graders NEVER make the cut, you’re both wasting your time”. Then walked away. What were we thinking? we were the only 5th graders to audition. We stepped out on the stage, hit play on our track and sang our hearts out. Thanking the judges (our teachers) we walked out with out more nervous than we did before we auditioned. Was that 6th grader right? We’re we just wasting our time?
The Next morning we walked over to the role call sheet. Took a glance..
1. 8th grader…..singer
2.7th grader…. dancer
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, all upperclassmen.
My heart sank. I guess 5th graders didn’t make the cut..
WAIT. I looked down to number 9 and I saw it.
9. Mia Boostrom and Gina Mainella….Don’t Know Why….Grade 5
We did it. We made the cut.
