by Olivia Wyland ’19 (Seton House)

“Have you seen some of the people from my lunch table today at all?”
“Yeah, they’re at prison.”
Most people outside Trinity High School would be appalled, but students at the school say this twice a year: the two times when members from Trinity’s choir attends the local prison to sing to the inmates. On December 17, 2018, the chorus traveled to Carlisle Prison to sing in an emotional experience. Many of the inmates were moved to tears by the beauty of the students’ voices, and more significantly, the beauty of their gesture.

When students first hear about the trip to sing at the prison, most were nervous because they did not know what to expect. However, they were also excited because of the good things they heard about it from upperclassmen. While singing to the prisoners, Grace Verano ‘22 (Seton House) said, “It was really heartwarming to watch these inmates, who might feel alone sometimes, come together with us to sing about Christmas joy and God’s love.” Ellen Frantz ’19 (De La Salle) thought that the prisoners felt loving emotions while they sang during the holiday season. The music included pieces from the choir’s Christmas and Fall concerts as well as their signature song, Oceans.

Community service is at the heart of Trinity’s mission, and this is a core example of how we live that out. Students often say that going through this unique experience is one of the best things they’ve ever done. Maura Consedine ’19 (Immaculata House) connected the choir’s trip to Trinity theology classes and community service: “We learn every day in religion class about being good people and helping others in our community, especially the imprisoned, so to get to put our words into action and be a part of this unique experience is something we all look forward to every year. Knowing that we can have such a huge impact on someone’s day or life through music, which is something we all love so much, is a really special feeling.”