From USD 428
The USD 428 Youth Choir is beginning its 2026-27 season with a record of musical talent and enthusiasm, bringing together 130 auditioned student singers from across the Great Bend community.
The Youth Choir includes students in grades 4-8 representing all five USD 428 elementary schools—Eisenhower, Jefferson, Lincoln, Park, and Riley—as well as Great Bend Middle School, Holy Family Elementary School, and Central Kansas Christian Academy.
The 2026-27 Youth Choir is coordinated by Susan Stambaugh, GBHS Choral Director and K-12 Vocal Music Coordinator, and co-conducted by all USD 428 music teachers, Garrett Cole (Great Bend Middle School), Kelsey Strickland (Eisenhower), Lindsay Luttrell (Jefferson), Ethan Wedel (Lincoln), Marlene Regehr (Park), and Katie Knoles (Riley), and accompanists Maggie McKain and Brandon Smith.
Students auditioned for the choir through an individual audition process designed to assess a variety of musical skills. Auditions evaluated pitch matching, interval matching, tonal memory, rhythmic accuracy, sight-reading, and the ability to sing a well-known melody.
“This group provides students with an incredible opportunity to grow as musicians while building friendships with students from across our community,” said Stambaugh. “We are excited about the musical growth we will see this year and the opportunities our students will have to perform together. We have high expectations for the group, and we know these students are ready to rise to the occasion.”
In addition to weekly rehearsals, the Youth Choir will have several performance opportunities throughout the school year, including:
· Sunday, Dec. 13, at 4 p.m. — GBHS Auditorium
· Tuesday, March 23, at 7:30 p.m. — USD 428 District-Wide Grades 6-12 Concert, GBHS Gym
· Sunday, April 4, at 2:30 p.m. — Youth Choir performance with the GBHS Choirs, GBHS Auditorium
The USD 428 Vocal Music Department congratulates the 130 students selected for the 2026-27 Youth Choir and looks forward to a year filled with music, dedication, friendship, and opportunities to grow as musicians. For more information, please contact Susan Stambaugh at Great Bend High School, 620-793-1521.