By Lisa Duckers
Staff Writer
The choirs of Mira Costa sing away their troubles with the middle schools, thanks to the helpful and ever-reaching Bremen Town club.
Bremen Town is a student-run group whose goal is to help middle school singers adapt to high school by introducing them to other high school students who enjoy singing. Although they aren’t an actual choir, almost all of the members of the club are choir singers.
“We are a mentoring program through the Costa choirs in connection with the MBMS choir program. We hold events with Manhattan Beach Middle School, which are usually fun little parties with food and games,” senior club president Nick Zobel said.
The club was founded in an attempt to help boys from the middle school stay in choir when they transition to high school. Bremen Town used to mentor only boys, but recently they have taken a few 8th grade girls under their wing as well.
“It’s a way for boys to interact and have high school friends who give them reasons for why they should stick with choir. It’s not so much a problem with girls as it is with boys,” senior Bremen Town vice-president Kelsey Littleworth said.
Bremen Town meets with the middle school singers around two to three times a year. Their meetings consist of playing singing games and talking with the prospective Costa singers about their future with the Mira Costa choirs.
“We mentor them and play games with them and we teach them rounds of songs like ‘Frere Jacques’,” Littleworth said.
The meetings with the middle school also give some club members a chance to display their singing abilities.
“At our events we usually have the a capella groups from Mira Costa (Mira Costa Muscle and Coterie) perform for the middle school kids,” Zobel said.
Bremen Town has been seen to be a very important experience for the choir members of MBMS and the choir members of Mira Costa. Both choirs have formed deep connections and friendships between the upper and lower classmen.
“My favorite part of the club is meeting the boys, hanging out with them and forming friendships with them. They’re very interested in choir, so it’s a great way of connecting with the boys,” Littleworth said.
Whether they were in the same situation as the choir singers in middle school or have always had friends through choir, all of the members of Bremen Town are commited to their goal in helping prospective singers.
“I’m always so amazed at how dedicated the singers at Costa are. They’re always willing to donate their time and money to help our club grow and establish those important connections with the middle school singers,” Hayden said.
Other than continuing their goal of keeping boys in choir through middle school and high school, Brementown wants to expand their horizons and help all middle school choir students adjust to life at Costa.
“At the time, we are only limited to 8th grade girls and boys. We plan to let in younger girls in the future,” Zobel said.
For now, the Bremen Town club does an exceptional job of connecting with younger singers and welcoming new ones into the world of choir.
“The club is special because it changes students’ lives by showing them they can be themselves in an environment where people don’t judge each other,” club member senior Justin Filbrich said.
Mira Costa Bremen Town meets every Thursday in the choir room and welcomes new members.
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