Music has an effect on everyone. Whether it inspires you to audition on the Voice, work out an extra hour to Beyonce, or enjoy a relaxing evening with your special one, you cannot deny it has an effect on people. Music has had a very important role in my life, leading me to people who would inspire me to become my very best self. I would not have met these people had I not joined choir at Arlington High School.

I can remember a time when I would refuse to sing. I always jammed out in my shower like everyone else does, but I would never even consider singing in front of a crowd. Fear would overcome my want to sing out loud. One day while I was in choir at Children's University, they made every student audition for a group solo to be performed at sixth grade graduation.

When I discovered I would be a part of the group, it was like a switch turned on inside me. Suddenly I couldn't wait to perform because I was so honored to be chosen. It was the confidence boost I needed to later on join choir in high school.

Instantly AHS choir became my sanctuary. Everyone was so welcoming, and we made beautiful music. I started out in the lowest level because I didn't know how to read music. I quickly remembered the lyrics to our playlist for the upcoming concert, and it landed me another solo. I sang the opening lines to "Where Are You Christmas".

By the middle of that school year, I was promoted to the next level up. Once you get to that level, you are committed. Choir becomes the family you belong to and work with for the next performance. I loved every minute of it!

Fast forward to the next year, and this is where choir officially started to change my life. I was asked to be the spiritual leader for the girls' choir. This, to me, was the biggest compliment anyone can receive. Being the spiritual leader helped me form my own relationship with God while sharing what I already knew about His forgiveness, patience, and love. I picked out a song for each week and described what it meant to me. Since it was a public school, I couldn't use Bible verses or say the word "God". This almost helped though, in my opinion, because I could reach people through song, which is why we were all gathered there.

With my faith built up, God and my choir director put me through the ultimate test. Senior year I reached the highest level of choir, Colt Chorale, and I joined the Choraliers, show choir. For those of you who don't know, show choir is song and dance similar to the TV series "Glee".

This also happened to be the year for another musical, which would be "Les Miserables" for that year. I had picked out an audition song and was fully prepared to try out for a role, but I chickened out during the meeting about the musical expectations. With going to school, having a job, and being involved with choir, I wasn't sure if I could handle being in a musical as well.

My choir director encouraged me to audition, the same choir director who assigned me to be the spiritual leader. She, in many ways, was God's angel for me. She was a strict director who demanded perfection because she knew we were capable of it. She believed in us when we didn't believe in our selves. I needed someone to push me outside of my comfort zone, and make me believe in myself.

Much to my surprise, I got the lead role of Cosette! Rehearsals began immediately. This musical gave me confidence and team-building skills I rely on today. The cast spent every waking minute together, rooting for each person to hit that high note or to reach that dark, deep place to bring emotion through. My part was the love story in the musical, so I mostly sang duets.

It was very challenging and intriguing singing a duet with someone. We had to make the audience think we were in love all while matching harmony. The cast got together outside of rehearsal to help create the bond needed for the stage. When you spend all of your free time with someone, they easily become the people who you rely on and the people who make you happy. They taught me how to ask others for help. They taught me that it's perfectly fine to use training wheels until you're ready while supporting my attempts to ride on my own.

AHS Choir transformed me from someone who was too shy to sing to a soloist in a musical. It took someone else believing in me to learn how to believe in myself.