Two big stars from South High’s Ambassadors are leaving the stage to start new legacies.
Graduating seniors Mekhi Payne and Maria Nero will soon be advancing to a larger stage in college and beyond.
Payne said one reason he continued to participate in show choir is “the connections you get from other people and schools at competitions.” Nero also included that doing show choir gives her a platform to share their show choir community with others. “Our families – including audiences – have given me pure love and joy throughout my years in show choir,” she said.
Payne has participated in show choir for three years, adding that he considered his peak year to be 2023-24 due to performing in The Kings and Queens of Latin Music. Payne added that he pushed himself to do things that would not have crossed his mind two years ago.
A core memory for Nero is when she performed at the Omaha South Classic this winter because of the love she experienced from both the performers and the competitors.
“It’s the perfect highlight to end our competition season,” she said. The reason Nero said she continued to participate in show choir is because it made her happy to perform for others, especially when there was a deeper meaning to one of the songs or the entire show in general.
Payne said another special memory for him was winning grand champion at Omaha North High School’s Viking Cup. Payne added that it was the first time that The Ambassadors had ever won the grand champion trophy.
Show choir is an activity in which many schools from around the United States perform shows consisting of singing and dancing competitively. Students rehearse both in and out of school to learn songs and choreography to get ready for competition season. Competition involves traveling to other high schools to compete against as many as 11 to 12 groups for recognition. During events, each group performs and is then judged by a panel of professionals until a grand champion is chosen. The competitions can begin as early as 8 a.m. and last until midnight.