🎶💙Mentoring in the Choir: How We Build Connection Through “Adoption Day”
One of my favorite choir traditions is something we call Choir Adoptions.
It started as a fun way to connect my older varsity singers with my brand-new freshmen/or “new to choir” people, but over the years it has grown into a powerful mentoring tradition that keeps my students excited and feeling like they truly belong. I use this with my high school choirs, but it would also work well with middle school choirs!
Here’s how it works:
Every freshman/newbie choir member gets “adopted” by two older varsity choir students who become their choir parents. On Adoption Day, the freshmen discover a surprise “certificate of adoption” tucked into their folder slot, signed by their choir parents. I wish I could have recorded the excitement when my students opened their folder cabinet last week!
From there, I give the groups some class time to write little notes to one another and share basic info like birthdays, hobbies, favorite snacks and candy preferences. Throughout the year, the older students will randomly surprise their choir kids with small treats or encouraging notes. It doesn’t have to be anything big or expensive. Even a favorite piece of candy goes a long way in the mentoring experience.
But the fun doesn’t stop in the choir room!
I also plan a few social events, like an evening at our local mini-golf place, a choir adoption lunch and our annual choir bonfire, affectionately called Choir Fire. Choir parents are instructed to take a picture with their choir children and we post these pictures on a bulletin board in the choir room all year long. These events give the students a chance to hang out, laugh and create memories together outside of rehearsal.
The best part? Both the freshmen and the varsity students love this tradition.
The younger students feel seen and supported as they transition into high school choir, and the older students step into leadership roles in a way that feels meaningful.
👉 If you’d like to try something similar in your program, here are a few tips:
Keep it simple. A certificate and a quick in-class meet-and-greet are all you need to start. In fact, here is a copy of the adoption certificate we use. Feel free to print!
Give students ownership. Let your older students take the lead in surprising and encouraging their “choir kids.”
Plan at least one social event each quarter. It doesn’t have to be big—pizza, games or even a short after-school meet and greet works!
Celebrate the bonds. Highlight these connections throughout the year so students feel the impact of the tradition. Hang pictures on bulletin boards or take a large group picture and post on your choir’s social media accounts.
Building mentorship opportunities not only strengthens your choir community, but also creates a culture of fun, encouragement and belonging to a group. And let’s be honest…that’s what keeps kids coming back year after year to choir. 💜🎶
Happy Adopting! 🎤🎵 Melanie
