During the weekend of March 31^st, the NDP music program had the pleasure of attending the Music in the Parks Williamsburg Adjudication. Facing top bands, orchestras, and concert choirs, we had the chance to compete and show our musical talents to schools across the country. While performing over this weekend, we also had the experience of going to Great Wolf Lodge and Busch Gardens to reflect back on.

As soon as I stepped onto that bus, I was nervous, yet the excitement was unbelievable. The hectic scramble for attendance and trying to get everyone settled was overwhelming, but I was ready to spend the weekend with my NDP sisters. After a quite-long five and a half hour bus ride, we arrived at Great Wolf Lodge. Personally, I had never been there before, so it was fun for me to experience everything for the first time.

After a brief visit at Great Wolf Lodge, we went to perform our songs. The performance at an adjudication is very different than a regular school performance. There were only two adjudicators compared to the packed auditorium filled with parents. It was a little bit intense, but we were told that we performed very well, so the intensity wasn’t too bad. After the performance, we had the rest of the night at Great Wolf Lodge. While I was there, I shared an enjoyable night with my friends, eating food and going to the water park.

The next day, the whole NDP music ensemble went to Busch Gardens. Filled with exhilarating roller coasters, a mini-zoo, and shows, Busch Gardens is a place where everyone can release their inner child. After a full day of walking and exploring, we arrived at the awards ceremony, where NDP received first place in every category that we were in! This shows the hard work of the students and teachers, and the importance of the music program at NDP. The exhausting bus ride and excessive walking were all worth it in the end. Music is a form of expression that I love to show, and I hope to experience another trip similar to this in the future.