Standing up on that cramped stage, shoulder to shoulder with girls who had become just like my family, I had never felt more complete. I knew that no matter the outcome, win or lose, everything we had done had paid off. The countless hours of practice, the fundraisers held, and the sacrifices made to be in this one moment were all worth it; but what happened next was something truly unbelievable that I will never forget.

My school’s choir had been nominated for a Chorale Achievement Award, which was a competition held nationwide. Hundreds of choirs across the country entered, but only the three final choirs were invited to come to Disney World and attend the award show at the Saratoga Springs Resort in Disney World. The actual winner was determined months ago, but now the time had finally arrived. It was time to find out if all of our hard work and dedication put us on top. Before we could find out who won, however, the three choirs had to perform the national anthem together on stage. As I filed onto the stage, hands shaking from nervousness and excitement, I took a moment to look around the room. Large crowds of people were entering the room from all sides and making their way to their seats. Bright stage lights shown down on my face, making it hard to distinguish faces in the audience; however, I was able to find my choir director. She gave us a thumbs up and blew us a kiss, which caused me to relax and eased my nerves. I turned to my right and looked at my best friend Laura, eyes open wide and mouth slightly agape. No words needed to be spoken because she knew exactly how I felt. Not before long, the award show announcer said that it would be time to sing the national anthem. The choir director from one of the final choirs stood up from her seat in the first row and walked to the bottom of the stage. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and prepared to sing the best I had ever sung in my life.

Claps and whistles came from the crowd as we held out the last note of The Star Spangled Banner. I felt relieved that we had finished singing, but I knew I wouldn’t feel that way for long. We were now closer than ever to finding out the winner. As the two award show hosts talked amongst each other, which evoked some laughter from the audience, I was anything but lighthearted. Every second that passed felt like an hour. Standing up on that stage was almost becoming torturous. Before my nerves could get the best of me, one of the hosts pulled out an envelope: the envelope containing the winner. As the host broke the seal of the envelope, the whole choir joined hands. In that moment, I realized that we are a family, and that we would be proud of ourselves no matter what happened.

“And the winner is….” The host paused to create dramatic effect. My stomach was doing backflips at this point. I squeezed Laura’s hand even harder than I already was. I twisted my face in anticipation and awaited the results. Our name was called. My eyes grew wide as I realized what had just happened. I turned to Laura and immediately hugged her. I was so shocked that I could barely speak. We had done it. Chorale had just been named the best choir in the country. That moment was something I am forever grateful for and something I will cherish for the rest of my life. I realized that hard work and dedication really do pay off, and one should never give up on their dreams no matter how difficult it may seem. This experience taught me the value of friendships, and I will always be grateful for the people that stood right beside me throughout this journey.