Marble Hill student heads to Carnegie Hall performance

For many students, music class or choir is a fun break in the day, an elective to fill their fine arts requirement. But for others, it is much, much more.

Such is the case with Brookelynn Shell of Woodland Middle School. The 12-year-old has been singing since she was a toddler, and next month will make a trip to New York City to perform onstage at Carnegie Hall.

Shell will perform with other Vocalists from the U.S. and Canada for the 2016 Middle School Honors Performance Series, as well as the Honors Junior Choir. The Honors Junior Choir is one of three honors ensembles made up of the highest-rated middle-school performers.

Shell, who is also involved in her church choir, gives much of the thanks for the opportunity to perform in New York to her longtime music teacher, Melissa Cooper. "If it wasn't for (Cooper), I probably would have never dreamed of this," Shell told the Southeast Missourian.

That she will be performing in such a prestigious setting is not lost on Shell. "I didn't ever think I was going to make it," she said.

Indeed, many who dream of performing at Carnegie Hall or similar venues never do make it. Shell is having the experience at a fairly young age, which means great things are still to come. We congratulate Shell on her accomplishments and look forward to seeing how she progresses as a performer in the future.