Friends and Neighbors: KHS sophomore to sing as part of national FFA chorus in Louisville

Leisha Casimiro does not remember a time when she has not been singing.

Soon, the 16-year old daughter of Patrick and Melanie Casimiro will be singing halfway across the country. The Kimball High School sophomore will join nearly 80 fellow vocalists from across the country in Louisville, Ky., as a member of the National FFA Chorus for the 2015 National FFA Convention and Expo held Oct. 28-31.

Casimiro and her fellow National FFA Choir singers will arrive at the convention three days prior for rehearsals, according to Sally Wheeler, Kimball High School's FFA advisor.

"Mrs. Wheeler encouraged me to be in FFA and when I did, I actually enjoyed it and then I found out that there was music in FFA," Casimiro said.

Casimiro performed as part of an ensemble for the Nebraska FFA Convention, held April 8-10, 2015. The group, which also included KHS students Nicholas Thomas-Lewis, Sebastian Portillo and Connor Moore, in addition to Casimiro, attached an application and sent in the recording. They sang "America the Beautiful" in addition to singing a scale.

"It went pretty well. It wasn't, honestly, difficult," she said of the state auditioning process.

The ensemble arrived late for their state performance, which was not a competition, but rather is performed with the entire state FFA choir.

"For our first performance we got there a bit late so we had to wait for the end of the first song," she said. "Then the director just put us in and we sang. It is mostly an entertainment thing."

"We were able to perform for (state) so when I heard about nationals I was really excited," Casimiro added. "I took the shot to audition for it."

Casimiro auditioned individually for nationals, as did Moore. Though Casimiro said she does suffer mildly from stage fright, particularly with solo work, she said the audition process for nationals was more difficult than that for state.

"They had this requirement for the scales that when you sang one note of the scale, you had to say your name, what year it was, and your chapter while you were singing the scales," Casimiro said. "I did not like that very much, but it was alright."

The judges must have liked her audition, as Casimiro was one of only 80 chosen to perform during the national convention, both inside the expo center as well as outdoors. Though there is a talent competition as well, Casimiro did not enter as a contestant, but instead will be expected to entertain others throughout the conference.

Vocalists chosen for the National FFA Choir are not allowed to participate or compete in any other FFA competitions, according to Wheeler, and they are eligible for the distinction for only two years.

"They are not allowed to attend concerts, go on tours; they are a dedicated choir," Wheeler explained.

Casimiro will fly to Louisville before the rest of the local FFA students, but will return with her peers on the bus. She will spend the extra time rehearsing songs chosen for the 80-student choir – of which only one other member is from Nebraska, a young man who attends Creek Valley Schools in nearby Chappell.

She has already received the songs they are expected to sing. Those songs are mostly pop, like "Roar" by Katy Perry, she said. Other songs are a mash-up of "Danny Boy," and the national anthem. Regardless of which songs, and no matter where, Casimiro is just happy to be singing.

"Usually when it comes to any opportunities with singing, I immerse myself in it and take the opportunity," she said.